Your Hands Brought the Morrow
by L'Archel-Hotishi
Summary: One was an orphaned noble adjusting to a life of servitude. The other was a princess locked in a prison with no knowledge of her past. This story chronicles Corrin and Jakob's first meeting at the Northern Fortress, and their relationship onward. Rated T for suggestive themes in later chapters. Fluff. Spoilers for plot and child units of FE Fates: Conquest.
1. Packing a Suitcase

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I own absolutely no part of the Fire Emblem series, including the characters or the (insane) Fates plot referenced in this story. I take credit for this Fanfiction, and nothing more. All ownership rights belong to Nintendo.

Author's Note: I summoned Jakob in FE Heroes right after I posted my story, "Warm Hands" about Sophie/Dwyer. Then I summoned a four-star Seliph and a five-star Leo, so….Dwyphie is my good luck charm?

Anyway, I've always wanted to write a multi-chaptered story about these two, from childhood to adulthood and my interpretation of their relationship. I hope you guys enjoy it! **Takes place in the FE Fates: Conquest universe, so please expect spoilers for the whole game.**

 **-START-**

"Don't just stand there, boy," an older man bellowed, his hand slapping a young boy on the back to shove him forward. "These are your new masters. Greet them."

The voice came from a gruff knight named Gunter, who was currently standing with a fresh face at his side. The young boy had silvery hair and wore a look of malice on his face, his lilac eyes staring up at the nobles before him with a mixture of anger and anxiety.

Xander and Camilla, who were a few years older than the little boy, looked at him inquisitively. It was an awkward meeting, especially given the recent circumstances. Xander's expression never faltered to show anything but distant professionalism, but Camilla wore a look of visible sympathy as she looked at the small boy before them.

Ah, so _he_ was the one. He was the new servant that had caused panic hours before.

Camilla had initially awoken to the sound of a commotion in the castle right before dawn. After sneaking from her bedroom and hiding atop of the structure's massive stone staircases, she saw that the bedlam was caused by the presence of a surprise guest. The guest was a small child, dripping wet from the rain and marred with bruises she didn't know the origin of. From what she had heard, two nobles had abandoned their son on the castle doorsteps. The guards had seen the couple flee, but nobody seemed to know the identities of either party. They were probably long gone by now.

The boy was a few years younger than her, and initially wore the clothes of nobility. It was obvious he had come from a wealthy background.

"Speak, boy!" Gunter barked again. His voice was more strident than before.

Grumbling, the boy dipped his head and bowed. He was modestly attired in the clothes of a servant boy, which he had now become since his newfound abandonment. It was clear to Camilla that the young boy had been left in the castle's infamously cut-throat care to suffer and perhaps even die. She was sure his parents didn't care which.

"Milord, milady," he said quietly, not lifting his gaze to meet theirs. Whatever was left of the poor boy's pride was probably shattered that second. "My name is Jakob. I shall be working as a servant here from now on."

Silence followed his empty words. When Jakob straightened his posture, Gunter roared loudly, "You aren't done introducing yourself, child! What else?"

Jakob's glare was sharp as a dagger as he lifted his eyes to briefly meet Gunter's then turned to look back at the two noble teens before him.

"And…" he seethed, taking visibly deep breaths to calm his still smoldering anger. "And I hope I can be of service to you. If you need my assistance, you need but ask."

The knight lifted a hand and planted it firmly on Jakob's shoulder.

"Imperfect and a little wordy, but it shall suffice," Gunter said with a sigh as the young boy stood upright again. He pulled Jakob back to his side, not wanting him to get too close to the heirs of the Nohrian throne. "I apologize for his informality, Lord Xander and Lady Camilla. The boy is a brat. Forgive him."

The small princess's reply came swiftly in response to the knight's unnecessarily harsh words.

"Not at all," Camilla said, bobbing her head sweetly and giving the boy a smile. It was not returned.

"We are happy to make your acquaintance," Xander said with a nod. Although he kept his sentiments impersonal, he did feel bad for the boy. Jakob's sudden and unexplained appearance reminded him of somebody else that was a part of their family, but didn't reside within the castle walls.

"I apologize we aren't all here to greet you," Xander said vaguely, titling his head sympathetically. He shut his eyes and sighed deeply, as if he found the circumstances truly unfortunate. Jakob's moonlight-colored brow lofted in silent inquisitiveness as he looked at the forlorn look on the blond prince's face and knew that there was more to the story.

"We have another sister, a little younger than you, but I'm afraid she's not here," Camilla elaborated sadly. "I'm sure she would be thrilled to meet you."

That statement struck Jakob as strange. If the nobles had another sister, why wasn't she staying in the castle with her siblings? It seemed like an odd arrangement, but he knew better than to pose any questions. The boy merely nodded and kept his mouth shut.

"Will Jakob be meeting Corrin?" Xander asked the seasoned knight curiously. "Camilla is right. I'm sure she'd love to meet him as well. They seem similar in age…perhaps he could provide her company."

"I'm afraid he hasn't yet, but the date is close," Gunter said with what Jakob could see was obviously forced politeness. It made him sick to watch. "Jakob and I will be relocating to the fortress soon for his training with the other servants. Of course I'll introduce them, although he's hardly experienced enough to actually tend to her."

 _Like I'd want to anyway_ , Jakob thought bitterly.

Camilla continued to send smiles in Jakob's direction. Although none of them were received, she remained persistent.

"Dear, you will adore her," Camilla said dotingly. "I know you're going through a lot, but Corrin can bring a smile to anyone's face!"

The boy wanted to gag. As if a spoiled princess could quell the hatred still burning brightly in his chest, he thought. Even after everything he'd been through and having his life ripped away from him at such a young age, the nobles were still more interested in him catering to a princess's whims than his own well-being. He supposed he'd have to get used to such treatment from now on.

"You both come from… _interesting_ backgrounds," Camilla elaborated regarding the mysterious princess. Xander elbowed her harshly in the side, not liking the informality that Camilla spoke with towards the new servant. She shot him a glacial look. "What? I only speak the truth! Perhaps they will even bond and become friends. That would be wonderful, would it not?"

Her words sounded surprisingly hopeful, as if she truly longed for her little sister to have an actual companion.

"Camilla, _please_ ," Xander groaned. "You shouldn't forget your manners and speak so casually."

It seemed that Camila had let a little too much information slip about the princess's identity. He was still unsure of the girl's existence. Jakob had come from a noble family, and he knew of King Garon, Xander and Camilla. Corrin's name was the only one that didn't ring any bells. He was able to deduce quickly that the kingdom of Nohr seemed to have a few dirty secrets. Not that he was shocked, of course.

"Don't be careless, Camilla," Xander groaned. "Jakob will meet Corrin in due time. He doesn't need to know anything else."

"Oh, Xander…" the young lady groaned, seemingly annoyed by his cautiousness. She cast the young servant and apologetic stare. Jakob didn't have the energy to take offense or accept the condolences.

The boy listened to the two teens, albeit with intense disinterest. He had no idea who this _Corrin_ was, but he knew for sure he had absolutely no interest in meeting her. They both seemed to dote on her, which made her lack of living arrangements in the royal castle even stranger to him. Although he was a little curious, Jakob still didn't desire to meet the princess, no matter how perfect she allegedly was. If she was anything like her siblings, she'd only have false pity and sympathy to offer him, neither of which he desired in the slightest.

"You are both too kind," Gunter said, smiling at the young teens before he looked down and Jakob and pushed him along. "Come along, Jakob!"

The boy bowed once more without needing to be prompted. Xander was especially impressed by that. The new servant was picking up on protocol surprisingly fast and, even though the young prince could see that Gunter was fascinated, he didn't dare show such an emotion to Jakob. It was far too early for the two to share any form of closeness.

Gunter was silent as he escorted the young boy down a narrow corridor. As they left the glitz of the main interior and began to descend into the servants' quarters, the young boy noticed an obvious decline in the living standards. The distinct odor of standing water ambushed his senses, and it was so dark that even the flickering torches on the wall didn't help him see. Gunter walked confidently, without missing a beat or hesitating at a turn. He knew seemed to know the area like the back of his hand.

"This way," he said quietly. "I'll see you back to your quarters. I don't want you getting lost down here."

"Yessir," Jakob responded dimly.

Although the little boy knew he would absolutely get lost in the catacombs without help, he also knew that wasn't the knight's main reason for the escort. There was no sense of trust between them, and Gunter was merely making sure the boy didn't try to escape or put himself out of his own misery. Jakob would be lying if he said those thoughts hadn't crossed his mind.

He was awoken from his daydream by another shove from Gunter, who walked briskly at his heels.

"Pick up your feet when you walk, child," he chided. Although he was still reprimanding him, Jakob noticed a clear difference in his tone once the nobles were out of earshot. His voice was a little softer. It was still prim but not nearly as malignant.

"Sorry," Jakob replied with equated softness. The change in tone had caught him off-guard and made him uncomfortable.

The knight continued speaking as they came to a heavy, oak door with a cast-iron lock. An oblivious onlooker might have confused the accommodations for a jail cell rather than a child's bedroom. Gunter turned the key and said coldly, "You will not be assigned chores tonight. Instead, you will prepare for our departure for the Northern Fortress. We leave at dawn."

A few steps later, he entered the darkened chamber and walked to his humble bed in the corner. The door slammed shut behind him, creating a sound that was powerful enough to rattle his tiny ribcage. Perhaps he's merely imagined the knight's temporary kindness.

Jakob grimaced in the darkness in an attempt to suppress the heat slowly pooling behind his lilac eyes. As prideful as he was, he absolutely _refused_ to cry…no matter what happened.

At that moment, Jakob hated the world. He hated Gunter, he hated the Nohrian family, he hated Castle Krakenburg and he _especially_ hated his bloody parents. No matter who Corrin was, he knew he'd hate her as well.

The boy didn't want to stay, but he didn't want to go home to the hellhole he'd lived in so his earliest years. He found the idea of simply vanishing to be the most favorable option.

The boy wiped his dry eyes and distracted himself by packing his suitcase in preparation for their early departure. He didn't have many belongings or personal affects with him, but he still took a careful amount of time making sure everything was organized and ready to go come morning. For him, taking time to fold and organize his belongings was a form of meditation. Clothes were folded and trinkets were organized until, finally, his humble bag was ready to go.

Despite the terrible circumstances, the boy felt a little surge of pride at the sight of his handiwork. Something about organizing and cleaning made him feel useful. When he looked at the small bag, for just a moment, it seemed like all was well and orderly in the world. It had proved to be a nice distraction, to say the least.

Perhaps they would assign him more work at the fortress. The thought wasn't immediately displeasing to him…and perhaps there would be some small parts of his new life that he enjoyed. More accurately, the young boy _prayed_ that such would be the case.

Otherwise, he wasn't sure how he was going to stay sane.

 **-END-**

I apologize for spoilers, but I might also take some liberties with the Fates: Conquest story because…it's just so crazy. I love Conquest and Revalations, but the stories are insane. It definitely has its glimmers of brilliance, but too many times I was like, 'Woah, what? How? Why?'

I love the characters unconditionally though. Recommendations are welcome, of course! I'll try to make as many people happy as possible.

Next time, we meet the mysterious princess Corrin.


	2. Holding Hands

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T (Later in the series, suggestive themes may be present.)

Disclaimer: I own no part of the Fire Emblem franchise, including the plot and characters of Fates that are referenced in this story. This project was created for fun.

As I type this, I'm drinking ($5) red wine and watching "Tangled: Before Ever After." I'm in a _veeeery_ good place right now, haha! Work has been crazy lately, so I apologize for the lack of updates! Still, I wanted to update a lot over the weekend, and thankfully writing for these two nerds is an indulgence.

Enjoy!

 **-START-**

Just beyond the heavy oak door was, according to the knight standing by his side, was the mysterious princess he'd heard so much about. Ever since he'd arrived at the Northern Fortress a few days ago, the other servants had practically talked his ears off about the young girl. All he knew was that her name was Corrin.

According to the servants, or perhaps he should've called them his _coworkers_ , the young maiden beyond the plain looking door was apparently the definition of perfection. Personally, Jakob didn't buy it.

After having his life ripped away from him and being dumped on the doorsteps of Castle Krakenburg to rot like scum, all anyone seemed to do was talk about Corrin. He supposed that made sense. After all, as far as he could see, she was the only member of the royal family that resided in the fortress. He was still curious as to why that was, but wasn't interested enough to ask Gunter and risk a serious reprimanding. The past few days of butler training had taught him to approach the older gentleman with only the utmost caution.

The past few days had also taught him that he wasn't prepared for a life of servitude.

After feeling a small rush of confidence after completing the simple task of packing a suitcase, he'd thought he could handle all the work thrown his away as long as it diverted his attention from his fate. It only took a few failed lessons and brisk smacks across the face to realize how naïve his thinking had been.

Jakob was the epitome of everything a servant shouldn't be. He broke plates, he scratched the floors while sweeping and he angered the horses while cleaning the stables. The past few days had hardly been easy, and he knew that seeing a _perfect_ princess wasn't going to make him feel better. If he was lucky, it would only stir memories of his own incompetence. The worst case scenario was that he said or did something that got him thrown into the castle dungeon. There was no question he'd perish there, just like his parents had wanted. He was determined to deprive them of that satisfaction, even if they never truly knew.

"Lady Corrin," Gunter said softly, rapping his knuckles on the door. The sound woke Jakob from his thoughts. "I've brought a new servant to meet you."

A little girl's voice answered. "Oh! Is it the new boy from the castle?"

Jakob lifted a silvery brow. Apparently she knew him already. That somewhat stunned him. However, before he allowed himself an emotion other than anger, he reminded himself that someone had probably told her the information beforehand. There was no way she'd care enough to actually expect his arrival or probe one of the other staff members about his well-being. At least she hadn't used words like _orphan_ or a _bastard_ while inquiring about his identity, which he'd also grown used to hearing from the other servants as he eavesdropped on their gossip.

"Yes, milady," Gunter answered primly.

To his surprise, the door opened right before Jakob's eyes. She hadn't sent a servant or attendee to open it for her. Was she…actually alone in her room?

"Please come in," she said in a chipper voice.

Upon seeing the young girl, his icy heart softened for the first time in a few days. Before him was a little girl, a few years younger than him and quite a few inches shorter. The black dress she wore was modest and unadorned with jewels or lace. It was a stark contrast to the attire he'd seen on her other royal siblings. In fact, she was so unadorned that she didn't even wear shoes. Her pale hair spilled to her shoulders, and a simple black headband sat upon her bangs.

"Ah, you must be Jakob!" she said, her voice clear as a bell. A smile graced her face. "I'm Corrin."

To say the least, Jakob was stunned. _This_ was Corrin? This little girl didn't look like a princess at all. She looked like she was a servant, or perhaps a prisoner. The girl hadn't even introduced herself as royalty…she just used her first name. The only factor that counted against his accusation was her cheerful disposition and radiant smile. Such happiness didn't seem befitting of one living in such apparent misery.

The boy wasn't sure what to say. "Um…"

Gunter cleared his throat and Jakob bowed hastily to avoid being chastised. "Milady, the pleasure is all mine."

The boy didn't bother introducing himself or reiterating his name, since she seemed to already know it somehow.

"Lady Corrin, Jakob will be living in the fortress from now on," Gunter elaborated where Jakob had failed. "If you need anything, he is a servant here, and you should feel free to let him know."

"Yes, milady," Jakob agreed, looking up at her from under his unruly bangs, which were almost long enough to cover his eyes.

The little girl giggled and placed her hands on Jakob's shoulders, beckoning him to stand. As if under a spell, he broke protocol and obeyed her silent order. Corrin took his hands into hers and squeezed them. The boy was unsure how to react, especially with Gunter nearby. All he could do was tilt his head in confusion.

"Ah, Gunter," Corrin said, breaking the silence. "I'm actually a little thirsty. Could you please get me a glass of water? I know it's not your job as a knight to do so, but…"

"Of course," Gunter said with a smile. The man wasn't dumb. He knew the princess had given him the request because she wanted to talk to the young boy. In his mind, he could only imagine how thrilled the young princess must be to have someone else in the fortress that was around her age. Although he wasn't crazy about the princess bonding with a new servant, especially alone, it would take him no more than a minute to fetch the water. He was also positive Jakob would have no idea where to get the glass or water as it was the boy's first time on the highest level of the fortress. It would be easier if Gunter just carried out her order.

"Watch her, Jakob," Gunter ordered with a steely gaze. Jakob bit his lip and nodded in reply to the command. If he dared to disobey, he knew the punishment could be fatal. He didn't know what the princess's intentions were, but he would have to circumvent her antics if there was even the vague possibility of punishment. Jakob wasn't a pushover and especially didn't enjoy being taken advantage of.

As the man's broad form slowly vanished down the hallway, Corrin turned back to him. The little girl kept a firm grip on his hands. As he felt her calloused hands against his, Jakob realized she also didn't wear gloves. More and more details about Corrin were striking him as very strange.

"What is it that you require, milady?" Jakob asked hesitantly. The formal words came to him naturally.

"Jakob," Corrin began, her maroon eyes closing slowly as she said his name. Her candlelight-colored lashes splayed across her cheeks. "I…um…I heard about what happened at the castle."

"I see," Jakob responded coldly. However, what he really wanted to ask her was how in the world she knew about his abandonment a few days ago. Thankfully, she seemed to read his mind and answer the question. "I heard the other servants gossiping about it. I'm sorry, but I asked around to know more about you."

Jakob blinked stupidly. "Um…milady. I know I'm not supposed to ask questions, but…"

Corrin gave him a reassuring nod. "Please do! Just quickly, before Gunter comes back."

The statement gave Jakob the urge to smile. Although he didn't allow himself the pleasure, it was nice to experience a little bit of humor, even if it was subtle and perhaps even unintentional.

"Um…" he started, a little hesitant from her openness. He hadn't expected such a sentiment from anyone in the royal family. "Milady, why would you…care?"

The young girl seemed a little startled by the question. Perhaps his phrasing had been a little brash, but the actual question still remained.

Corrin seriously mused over the question, her maroon eyes focusing on the ground beneath her feet. Finally, she found her voice and produced a semi-confident answer. "I guess…I wanted to know a little more about you. I heard what happened to you, and I guess I was being nosy."

The boy's veins threatened to run cold with ice. As he expected, the girl before him was nothing but a spoiled brat who was just snooping for gossip. Before he could yank his hands back, her next words gave him pause.

"I know how it feels to relive sad memories," she said with a whisper.

"…What?" he asked, his pageboy haircut angling as he dipped his head forward to watch her. Amethyst eyes met ruby ones as the two children held each other's hands as if they'd known each other for years. The girl turned his hands over in her, staring at his flesh. It was pale and as white as sugar. It was clear the boy came from an extremely noble family, which she was sure only enhanced the shock of being force into a life of servitude.

Corrin's face remained pleasant as she explained her reasoning.

"I didn't want you to relive what happened just because we needed to be introduced," she continued. "I knew I couldn't make you feel better just by saying 'sorry'…sometimes those sentiments lose meaning and merely serve as cruel reminders, especially when they come from strangers."

Jakob's heart skipped a beat. Has she really thought that hard about their introduction? Most people saw meeting new servants as a burden. He certainly did in his household.

"I didn't want you to feel forced to tell me about your past," Corrin finished. The girl's cheeks were a little pink. Clearly Jakob's silence had made her feel flustered. "Uh…did I mess up?"

The little boy studied her face with wide eyes. Her statement, although spoken with hesitation, radiated of sincerity and purity. Even though he knew it was fully possible she was merely lying to appease his curiosity, he wanted to believe that she was interested in his well-being. If her words were true, she would be one of the first and only people to feel that way. In a weird way, it warmed his heart and made the castle halls seem a little bit brighter than before.

The young boy wasn't sure what to say, or if he even believed her. He stammered gracelessly in an effort to produce a response. "Oh…um…"

Before he could manage a reply, Gunter appeared at the end of the hallway was a chalice of water in one hand. The girl released Jakob's frail hands and directed her attention to the knight. She smiled at the older man and thanked him for the cool drink. According to her, her throat was quite parched.

The rest of the conversation was muffled to Jakob, as if he was listening to their tête-à-tête while submerged in deep water. His mind was still swimming in regards to why a princess would be detained in a fortress. Even more curious was why someone of royalty would even give a second glance, let alone make a personal inquiry, about the well-being of a new servant. It was a total contradiction to the treatment he'd received from everyone else.

The girl finished drinking and handed the chalice back to Gunter, who handed it to Jakob abruptly.

"Do you think you can handle taking this chalice to the kitchen to get washed, boy?"

Jakob blinked slowly, coming back into reality. He nodded and gently took the piece of crystal by its delicate stem. He placed a hand gently at the base and made a beeline for the kitchen. Before he left, he bowed to Corrin and bade her gentle goodbye.

In return, she waved to him sweetly and said in a sweet voice, "Thank you, Jakob. I'll see you soon, okay?"

She had _thanked_ him. Plus, she seemed to want to see him again. Didn't she realize that she was his mistress, and that she was in command? If she wanted to see him, all she had to do was snap her fingers and he would have no choice but to obey. Still, her words seemed to hint at the fact that she legitimately wanted to see him again…and that he had some kind of choice. He wasn't sure whether to feel happy or offended, but he was leaning towards the prior out of desperation.

As he walked away and stared at the faint outline her lips had made on the rim of the glass, he felt his cheeks redden. Perhaps everything about the castle wasn't _completely_ terrible.

Only time would tell.

 **-END-**

Thank you so much for making it to the end!

I was originally just going to upload Chapter 1, but figured it would be better to upload two chapters. The first one was just kind of depressing and, honestly, not a lot happened. I promise my made-up backstory will end soon and we will more onto more fluff revolving loosely around some pivotal moments in the game.

Also, I'm planning on playing Revelations soon, so I'd love to write stories based off of it as well.

Anyway, I'll see you all again soon! Thank you so much for reading.


	3. A Critical Blow

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T (for suggestive themes in later chapters)

Disclaimer: I do not own FE Fates: Conquest or any other part of the Fire Emblem franchise. This story is written purely for fun and out of love for the characters.

Author's Note: This past week has been insane guys! Sorry for the week without an update, but I had a crazy amount of work and just had to binge through it. Now, it's the end of the weekend, and I'm excited to update!

The reason I usually only write oneshot stories is because I'm terrible at updating, haha! I'm going to seriously try to upload this story at least once a week.

Thank you guys for all your support! Enjoy!

 **-START-**

The day had been going so well.

In fact, especially for Jakob, it couldn't have gone better. He'd woken up on time, successfully polished the floors in the dining room and had even managed to clean all the dishes in the dining room before Lady Corrin's breakfast. Apparently the maid that had been charged with the task had forgotten to carry out the order due to a coming down with a cold at the last minute. The seemingly simple task posed an even larger problem in the fortress because, later the same day, Corrin's royal siblings would be visiting for the day. Everything needed to be absolutely perfect for their noble arrival. Even Gunter was unsure of the severity of the punishment if the execution of their tasks wasn't perfect.

Without prompting, Jakob had stepped in and fixed the problem. He had washed every dish in the kitchen as fast as possible. The boy had also remembered to use the correct soap and the softest rags for the delicate china. Less than half an hour later, everything in the kitchen was polished to absolute perfection and ready for the fanciest of company. The other servants had sung immense praise and offered him a million thanks. The surge of pride on Jakob's end was inevitable.

Lady Corrin never knew anything was amiss. Jakob figured she probably wouldn't have cared much, or at the very least would have been understanding.

King Garon was another story. While the older servants had stated numerous times that the imposing king used to be much more lenient, desperate times seemed to have changed his entire demeanor. There wasn't anybody in the kingdom of Nohr that didn't fear their king to some degree. Even Jakob, who had only been working in the fortress for a few weeks and had lived in Nohr his whole life, couldn't imagine King Garon as anything but rigid and foreboding.

Even Gunter had said the change in the King was like night and day. Even stranger, the young boy saw a glimpse of an unidentifiable emotion on Gunter's whenever the knight was forced to greet his majesty. He couldn't pinpoint it, but he doubted it was positive.

Even with the King's unfortunate company, it had still felt good to have taken initiative. The young boy felt more resourceful and helpful than he ever had living at home. The day had _started_ with such promise.

It was unfortunate that when King Garon finally did arrive at the fortress and Lady Corrin ran up to him brimming with excitement about seeing her siblings, things took a sour turn.

Xander and Camilla were nowhere to be found. Instead, King Garon stood alone with only a few prisoners in tow. The little girl had been confused as to why her father had shown up with individuals who weren't her siblings. Her father had promised to let Xander and Camilla visit, after all. The fact that her precious family members were nowhere in sight made Corrin's heart sank. The young princess relished their company and rarely got to see them. Unlike the other fortress inhabitants that were always bustling with work, Camilla and Xander gave the little princess their undivided attention. The little girl knew it was selfish to desire such a thing when everyone was hard at work making sure the fortress was a nice place for her to live. She never dared to complain, but the disappointment was clear on her face.

As Gunter and Corrin formally greeted King Garon and his entourage at the front gate of the fortress, the other servants tended to the battered prisoners. Jakob stood nearby and observed the scene quietly. His clenched fists remained hidden behind his back as he watched the grizzly sight of prisoners from neighboring lands being carted away into the fortress's dungeon. Most of them looked like soldiers and other prisoners of war.

 _How horrifying_ , Jakob thought. His face remained stern, lilac eyes unyielding as he saw the starved and wounded prisoners pulled into the fortress walls by rusty chains. He had to wonder what the point of taking prisoners was. Clearly none of the prisoners were in fighting condition. The chains seemed to only serve as a formality.

 _What's the point? They're all weak and starving…they can't possibly fight back. What is the king thinking?_

Jakob didn't dare to question him. He merely stood as a silent and obedient passerby, which probably made him just as heinous as the monstrous king himself. He selfishly tried to push the thought from his mind and not mull over it too much.

The princess, on the other hand, had seen enough. Corrin stood before the imposing shadow of her father and gave a little tug to the hem of the king's royal robes. Garon didn't seem to notice her at first. The king was busy conversing with Iago, who stood nearby and was practically stuck to Garon like glue.

Jakob could see his liege trembling from anxiety. Although it was silly, he mentally willed her to become still. He didn't like seeing the young girl so afraid.

Finally, she spoke up loud enough to sever her father's conversation with Iago. It was then that she stepped back to provide the proper amount of distance before dipping her head respectfully to him.

"Um…Father…I thought Xander and Camilla were supposed to visit today," she said timidly.

Garon's dark eyes slowly settled on her without so much a turn of the head. It seemed that he didn't even want to look at the child before him. "You dare interrupt me, Corrin?"

"Um…" she stammered, looking uncertain. "I'm sorry. It's just that…I haven't seen them in a month. You promised they would visit today."

Jakob looked on intensely, shoulders rising with each passing second as he watched Garon's coldness towards Corrin. It reminded him of how his former father had treated him back when he lived as a noble.

"I apologize, my daughter," the King said with coldness that betrayed the supposed sympathy of his words. "They shall come next month. I promise. Now, run along…"

The little princess stood firm.

"But father…" she argued, her eyes downcast as she continued to speak and dared to confront him. "You promised last time too."

Garon whipped his head back in her direction. This time, his eyes were blazing and all his attention seemed to be directed at Corrin like a dagger. The closed the distance between them with only a couple steps.

"You dare to talk back to me?" his voice thundered. Even Gunter bristled at Jakob's side and the young boy knew Corrin had stoked the fire of Garon's anger.

The girl's maroon eyes widened with realization as she quickly took a few steps back. Garon leaned towards her with vicious speed. Jakob watched him with disbelieving eyes. Surely he didn't intend to hurt his own child?

When Garon raised a hand as if to strike her, Jakob was at her side in an instant to protect her and shove her out of harm's way. He pulled her behind him and stepped forward to take the hit. The blow hid Jakob across the face, hard enough to make his teeth score his lips.

When he averted his gaze back to the king, a small trickle of blood ran down his chin and dripped onto the stone floor.

The room was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. The silence was pierced by the sound of Corrin's soft whimpering. She stood behind Jakob and looked onward in horror at the sight of the young servant bleeding before her.

It took a moment for the gravity of the situation to sink into Corrin's brain.

Jakob had taken a hit from the country's king to prevent her from getting hurt. He'd _protected_ her without being commanded.

"J-Jakob…" she stammered in terror. Tears sprang from her eyes. "Oh…oh no. I'm so…"

"I'm sorry, your majesty," he said slowly. He looked unsteady on his feet. "Lady Corrin spoke out of line. Please forgive her. There's no need for such severe punishment."

Her eyes went to the king, whose expression was beyond livid. Her feet didn't allow her to move fast enough to pull Jakob away. All she could do was brace for the inevitable backlash.

" _Insolent boy_ ," Garon roared, lifted a thick hand and swiping it across Jakob's other cheek. The force from the second hit was enough to send the young boy flying back to the stone wall. His body collided with a Nohrian tapestry. He slumped over and slid down to the cold floor. The large wall hanging followed him down and pooled heavily over his aching body.

Corrin was horrified and ran to the boy's side, despite Gunter's attempt to grab her shoulder and restrain her. After all, it was highly inappropriate for a princess to show anything above indifference for a servant. The princess broke a major barrier between servants and royalty just by running to his side and helping him.

The fact that Corrin had run to Jakob's defense seemed to infuriate Garon even more as he watched the little girl lift the heavy fabric and help the small boy out from underneath. Every other servant looked on with a mix of absolute infuriation and uncertain fear. No doubt they would all pay the price of Jakob and Corrin's actions.

"Are you okay?" Corrin asked, cupping the boy's bloodied cheek.

"M-Milady, I'm fine," Jakob said, wincing through the pain as he spoke. The sight broke her naïve heart.

When she turned back to her father to question him, he had already turned his back and was on his way out the door.

"Father…?"

The question was as quiet as a mouse.

Somehow, he heard her. When he turned to answer her command, she reeled at the sight of his face. The face of her father had seemed to vanish and was replaced with a twisted mannequin of a man. One she barely recognized.

"You all," the king's voice boomed as he redirected his voice to the gathering nearby maids and butlers. They all bowed in unison at the sound of the king's loud voice. "It seems you all can't control my daughter and teach her the ways of a proper princess. As punishment, you'll all be assigned extra duties by tomorrow morning! Failure on anyone's behalf will result in immediate punishment."

Misery pooled like a lead ball in Corrin's stomach. Before she could object, Garon was beyond the fortress gate and escorted to his carriage by a gleeful Iago. Apparently Corrin's display of affection had tickled him. The same couldn't be said for anyone else, including the other servants and castle attendees that helped the king into his carriage. The sound of the slammed door and the metallic shudder of the gates were deafening.

Corrin's senses seemed to go silent. She couldn't hear the sounds of the servants cursing her selfishness or Jakob's disobedience. The sound of the groaning prisoners was lost on her as each tortured soul was reluctantly dragged down to the dungeon where they would most likely suffer a cruel and slow death. The sight of Gunter glaring daggers at her was blurry and the warmth of Jakob's blood on her hand faded.

All she could do was slowly turn back to the young servant that had jumped in front of her to protect her.

Unfortunately, he was gone. A quick scan of the room made her realize he slipped away from her and had bolted down the hall.

His name was a sigh on her lips. "Jakob…"

As the young boy ran down the halls of the Northern Fortress, his mind raced twice as hard in an attempt to make sense of his actions mere minutes before. _Why the hell did I do that? Why did I help her? I probably just damned every servant in the household!_

The boy came to a sudden stop and ducked behind one of the many corners in the catacombs that were the servant's quarters. She shrank into a tightly corner and hugged his knees to his chest. The boy's eyes were screwed shut to prevent the presence of tears. Each ragged breath was agony and every inch of him trembled with self-loathing.

 _The damned princess doesn't deserve anything. So she's nice. So what? It doesn't change anything. How dare she speak up like that to the king, knowing we'd probably be the ones to get punished? Helping her probably just got me killed._

Tears welled up in the boy's eyes.

 _I was so close to earning the trust of the other servants…and earning their respect. Now that's gone. It's all her fault!_

"Jakob?" Corrin's small voice called. He could hear her tiny footsteps running in a steady beat down the hall. "Are you here…?"

The sound of her sweet voice threatened to fill his body with rage. It was somewhat amazing she'd been able to sneak away and find him, but he didn't allow himself to be impressed.

"Jakob, I saw you come this way!" Corrin asserted. "Where are you? You're hurt! I brought bandages…"

"Go away," Jakob muttered. He pressed his back into the jagged material of the wall behind him. Perhaps if he willed hard enough, the gods above might take pity on him and allow him to sink into the wall and never come out again.

The pain of the sharp edges digging into the soft flesh of his back barely registered to him. The swelling of his cheek distorted his words just enough to lessen the toughness Jakob wanted so desperate to convey.

Corrin's voice called for him again. "Jakob…please."

Concern mingled with anxiety, and hearing her express such emotion while addressing him made every sinew of his heart burn with self-loathing

"Please come out," she pleaded. Sobs laced her clear voice. "Jakob!"

She called his name again and he sank even lower.

The girl's voice echoed eerily through the walls of the fortress. Each decibel seemed to bounce off the surrounding stones, the subtle vibrations hitting him like punches. The boy winced and curled up into an ever tighter ball, trying to escape the world. The voice that had served a welcome respite from his daily misery now threatened to drive him insane.

"Please go away!" he begged, voice muffled as he pressed his face against the material of his sleeve. The blood left a large stain on the sleeve. He was sure he'd get beat for damaging his uniform for terribly.

Silence greeted his request. When he looked up to stare down the hallway, he was horrified to see that Corrin was standing mere inches away from him. Lilac eyes widened with fear and he wasn't sure if he should run or yell at her again. His brain warred with his heart about how to best proceed, and there seemed to be no clear solution.

"Jakob…please don't cry," Corrin begged, gently lowering herself to they could see eye to eye. When she reached up to wipe away his tears, he wrenched his head away furiously.

"Milady…please…just go away…"

"No, Jakob," she said adamantly. For the first time since meeting her, she sounded like a true princess. Her voice was calm and left no room for disagreement.

The young boy looked at her squarely. He knew he must have looked absolutely ridiculous with his cheek so bloated. Before he could say another word, she seemed to read his mind and brandished some cotton and bandages to patch the wound. He wordlessly went to accept them, but she pulled them back and refused to let him take them. The little girl insisted that she be the one to heal his wound. The boy didn't have the will or the energy to object, and reluctantly agreed to let her patch him up.

Corrin dabbed away the blood and pressed some fresh cotton against his face to smother the slash that Garon's jeweled hand had left. A silence stretched awkwardly between them while she worked.

Neither one knew what to say. Jakob was filled with understandable bitterness at Corrin's selfishness and Corrin was left wondering what had motivated Jakob to disobey one of the most obvious rules of the fortress and stand up against Garon. Both were nonplussed by the actions of the other.

It was Corrin who finally broke the ice between them.

"Jakob, I'm sorry," Corrin said with palpable sadness. Jakob's gaze barely shifted to meet hers as she continued, "I was being selfish and only considering myself. I know you and the other servants will probably be punished for my actions."

The young boy acknowledged her correct statement with a small nod. He couldn't move his face too much without feeling little jabs of pain. "Please don't coddle me, milady."

"I'm stating the truth," she said slowly.

"I know," he replied dryly. The girl would have been lying if she said his bluntness didn't sting a little bit. She supposed she deserved that.

Jakob continued and said emotionlessly, "With all due respect, I still acted independently and made my own choice to step in. No matter the actions that inspired me to do so, I am not without some blame for whatever actions transpire from what just happened. I may be angry, but I'm not without blame."

Corrin was a little shocked to hear such a reply. It seemed like he wanted to share the blame. She supposed that wasn't too unreasonable. After all, they'd both technically overstepped their boundaries and acted out. Still, she found her father's actions above all else the most reprehensible part of what had just transpired.

"Why were you crying?" she asked quietly.

"Why do you think?" he asked with more bite than he intended.

Corrin stiffened and nodded. It wasn't like the boy's past few weeks had been wonderful. He'd been ripped away from his family and forced into servitude. Now, during a time of crucial adjustment, he had ruined his fragile reputation in an effort to protect her for a reason neither one was sure of. He had every right to be angry with her and himself.

The girl felt guilty for causing the young man, no more than a few years older than her, any kind of additional pain. She was a _princess_. She was supposed to be able to protect those close to her. In her opinion, that included all the servants that worked so tirelessly to reassure her as much comfort as possible. The girl knew she had failed them.

Instead of moping, she fired herself up made a series of silent promises. She promised herself to reach out to Xander and Camilla as soon as she could and ask about their father's demeanor. After seeing him strike Jakob without hesitation, her vision of him had changed drastically. The girl still revered her father, but something was amiss. The girl wanted an answer and wouldn't rest until she had one.

In addition, she promised to take blame for her own actions and accept the hatred or loathing of the castle employees. All negative feelings toward her were justified, in her mind. She vowed to never complain or mope about ever again. Nobody would ever see punishment again on behalf of her private emotions.

Finally, she promised herself to work tirelessly to earn Jakob's forgiveness. If he ever needed her to take a hit for him or protect him in battle, she promised herself that she would do that just.

One day, she would return the favor and protect him.

"I'm so sorry, Jakob," she reiterated with forced composure. "I promise you, no matter what happens, I'll try my best to earn everyone's forgiveness. That includes yours."

The young boy looked up at her with a half-lidded gaze. He seemed unconvinced of her words, but was powerless to voice opposition. Corrin stayed firm and didn't back down. Her maroon eyes bore into his until Jakob nodded his head in agreement.

"Milady, please accept my apology as well," he said. "It seems…we both caused trouble for each other."

Corrin allowed herself the luxury of laughing a bit. Even when apologizing, the boy didn't mince words. The girl enjoyed his honesty in a way that was hard to explain. Everything he said was so genuine, for better or worse. It made her feel as if she could truly trust him.

"It seems so."

The princess finished patching up Jakob's cheek and even offered to help him up off the ground. As prideful as Jakob was, he didn't dare refuse his liege. Corrin pulled Jakob up and helped him get steady on his feet.

At that moment, they were equals. No matter what torment was to come or what punishment would be taken against them, the two children saw each other in a new light. Titles were damned and formalities were forgotten as both shared a secret stroll with each other back to their designated spots in the dark fortress. Along the way, the two smiled and conversed with a newfound respect and insight on each other.

For Corrin, it was a soothing experience that served as a wake-up call to her position as a Nohrian princess.

For Jakob, it was a sobering experience that filled his heart with confusion and hope for his future at Corrin's side. Perhaps, if he trained hard enough, he could become her butler and stay by her side. The idea wasn't immediately offensive.

For both, it was a first brush with friendship that would grow into a force strong enough to quell the rage of entire kingdoms. It was only a matter of time.

 **-END-**

Thank you guys so much for making it to the end!

It seem like every time I write for these two, I'm always drinking wine…huh. Maybe that's the cause of the typos, haha!

Anyway, I'll be back with another update soon! I'd also love to write some stories for my other favorite FE games: Sacred Stones and Radiant Dawn. Maybe someday soon, especially after Echoes comes out. I'm unbelievably excited!

Next time, we'll fast forward a little bit as two sisters from the Ice Tribe join the fray! More shenanigans and Book Club adventures are sure to follow.


	4. Sudden Revalation

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T (for suggestive themes in later chapters)

Disclaimer: I own absolutely no part of the Fire Emblem franchise. This story is written purely for fun.

Author's Note: Sorry for the lack of updates! Work has been crazy lately, and I haven't had time to do laundry, much less write for fun, lol. I'm still working, but I wanted to give you guys an update over the weekend!

Thanks for being so sweet, you guys! I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **-START-**

Corrin had originally sent a letter to Xander and Camilla hoping to hear back about her father's behavior. After their last confrontation and after seeing him strike Jakob so eagerly, the heroic image she had of the king was now permanently scarred. The young woman couldn't believe that her father was completely well after seeing him act with such cruelty to her and the other members of the fortress.

It took a few days to hear back from them, and when a messenger finally delivered her siblings' reply to the castle doorstep, she had mixed emotions upon reading the letter.

The reply contained both good news and bad news.

The bad news was that Xander and Camilla hadn't noticed a change in Garon's behavior. He was still as sweet and loving as he'd always been. Xander even wrote that, just the day before, he'd seen his father giving cradling Leo and singing sweetly to the tiny newborn.

That was the second bit of news. Corrin now had a baby brother named Leo. Apparently, he'd been born a few days ago.

Even Gunter, who had been assigned to guard duty near her locked bedroom, offered his surprised opinion on the contents of the letter when asked.

"A new prince, you say?" Gunter had asked her in return, eyes wide with surprise. "I hadn't heard. Still, I suppose that's not relevant. The king can do as he wishes. After all, a new heir is never a bad thing."

Corrin didn't know how to take his oddly vague reply.

Although she was overjoyed about having a new baby brother to see soon, discomfort still pooled in her gut like a lead ball. Her siblings' reply hadn't lifted any of her concerns. In fact, she was even more confused than she had been before.

It seemed that Corrin, as of late, was the only child to experience coldness from the king. It was beyond the girl's comprehension how her father couldn't display two attitudes that varied so much in personality without anyone else in her family noticing.

Corrin also wondered who Leo's mother was. The letter certainly didn't say, and she hadn't even known that a new sibling was coming. The young girl assumed that Xander and Camilla knew, but had either failed to mention it or had forgotten to bring it up. Perhaps they didn't see it as relevant.

After all, it wasn't like she would live with her new sibling. Telling her had probably been an afterthought on Xander and Camilla's part.

The fortress was so isolated from castle affairs and shrouded in such secrecy that it made sense that the news had failed to reach her ears. If she hadn't sent a letter to her siblings, it was entirely possible that she wouldn't have even known about her new sibling until her family's next visit… _whenever_ that would be.

She imagined that, considering how Garon's last visit had gone, it wouldn't be soon.

The rest of the day, Corrin daydreamed about meeting her illusive new sibling. What did Leo look like? What was his hair color? Did he have strawberry blonde hair, like hers? She hoped so. Corrin never felt comfortable with how different she looked from her other siblings.

The little girl sat alone and mused over the mysterious identity of her little brother. All day, Corrin denied any opportunities to leave her bedroom.

Not only was she depressed about being the only child on the receiving end of her father's anger, but she also knew that the inhabitants of the Northern Fortress weren't too thrilled with her.

 _Rightfully so_ , she thought dreadfully.

After her last interaction with her father that resulted in overall punishment of every servant in the fortress, the young woman could practically feel the burning hatred the staff felt for her. The young girl has also noticed a change in atmosphere and service. The staff members that used to treat her with cordial distance now refused to speak to her unless explicitly requested by Corrin. Others purposely went out of the way to fail certain tasks. Her food was delivered cold, her linens weren't cleaned and the fireplaces on her floor mysteriously lacked the usual amount of firewood, resulting in an icy chill filling the halls. Her black dress wasn't enough to keep her warm, and her shoeless feet certainly didn't help.

The girl could have raised complaints and tattled to her siblings, but didn't want to. It wasn't like she didn't deserve the unwelcome treatment. Reporting the servants' behavior to her father would only result in worse punishment, and possibly death, for them. Corrin knew that wasn't right.

After seeing her father bring prisoners to the castle during their last meeting, she could now assume most of the servants were probably former hostages or other individuals who were forced from their homes for less than savory reasons. Some probably thought execution would be a better fate than to keep serving Nohr.

The girl decided to put on a grin and just bear it.

Not everyone treated her with intense disdain. There were a few exceptions to the newfound cruelty.

Gunter still seemed amicable enough, although he certainly hadn't been too friendly immediately after the confrontation. He'd yelled at her and even threatened to whip her next time should she try something so stupid again. Corrin felt like his threats were hollow, but wasn't confident enough to test her theory.

The other person who still treated her with kindness was the same boy who still had to wear bandages on his puffed cheek. The good news was that the wound seemed to be healing.

"Good morning, milady," Jakob said as he knocked on her bedroom door and entered slowly. The little girl jumped as the soft rap of his knuckles snapped her away from her daydreams and swiveled her head in the direction of the door to greet him.

The girl smiled softly and curtseyed to him. The act made Jakob blush. "Milady, there's no need to be so formal! I am _your_ servant."

The girl relented with a sigh. It seemed he was as uptight as always.

"I heard you didn't leave you room for breakfast this morning," Jakob said slowly as he entered her bedroom and closed the heavy door with his elbow. The boy gently lifted a small tray that he'd been carrying, showing off a dented kettle and a small tray of what looked like biscuits. "I brought you some warm tea and biscuits. I thought you would be hungry."

"Ah, I am," Corrin said with a shiver. She saw the steam coming off the teapot and was thankful beyond words for anything that could warm her rattling bones. The little girl eagerly gestured to a bare table in the corner of the room. "Please sit! Would you like to share a cup with me?"

The little boy carried the tray to the table and began to pour her a piping hot cup of tea. From the aroma, Corrin suspected that it was an herbal tea flavored with orange peel. Jakob stirred in two cups of sugar, the exact amount Corrin always took with her tea, and served her the cup as fast as he could. He could clearly see the gooseflesh on her skin and knew that she was probably craving the warmth more than the flavor.

Just as he suspected, she grasped the hot china with both hands and almost gulped down the scalding liquid. With a lopsided grin, he offered to refill her cup.

"I wish I could stay, milady," he said genuinely, "But I cannot. I have others matters to attend to."

"Oh."

Her disappointment was obvious by her lowered eyes and sad expression. It was bizarre to see the usually peppy girl wear a look of such melancholy. It made Jakob feel unsettled to see his mistress so unhappy, although he knew she had plenty of reasons to be.

In an attempt to make her feel better, he scooted the tray of biscuits closer to her and said, "I'll be back later today."

His promise did lift her spirits a little bit. The girl thanked him for his kind gesture and, when she reached to accept the food, something strange caught her attention. When Jakob had used his hand to pass her the place, the sleeve on his uniform lifted just enough just enough for her maroon gaze to see a jagged scar run from the direction of his forearm to the meat of his thumb.

The wound wasn't bleeding, but it looked freshly mended. It was perhaps a couple days old. The white mark was dotted with dark bruises that varied in shade from light blue to dark purple. It looked like he'd been marred with some kind of a blade.

Before Corrin could get a closer look at the wound, Jakob pulled his arm away. Both arms were relaxed at his sides as he bowed to her deftly and offered her an apologetic smile. "May I bring you dinner tonight? Perhaps we can talk more then?"

Corrin couldn't nod her head fast enough. "Yes, please do! That sounds great!"

As the silver-haired boy turned to leave, Corrin raised her voice again to tentatively ask him one more question. "Uh...Jakob, where are you going _now_?"

The boy's voice was a little shy as he told her from over a stiff shoulder, "I'm going to get some firewood."

* * *

Jakob had been busy running around the fortress.

Fetching Corrin some tea and biscuits had been somewhat of a break for him. Immediately after leaving her quarters, the boy had run all around the fortress doing odd jobs.

In addition to the extra work he'd been assigned as Garon's punishment, the other staff members had taken it upon themselves to impose their own punishment on the strong-willed boy. He was forced to sweep entire floors alone and scrub entire appliances with only one rag and his bare hands. When it came to laundry, the other servants forced him to haul the heavy loads of laundry to the river behind the fortress and wash the grimy garments in the frozen water. The chilly water was welcome relief to the burning wound on his hand that he'd gotten a few days ago while helping a maid chop vegetables in the kitchen.

"' _Accidentally_ _dropped the knife'_ my ass," Jakob mumbled as he worked. "She met to hurt me."

The young boy ran himself ragged doing all the chores forced upon him without complaints. He was given to understand the other staff members had been tormenting Corrin as well, but he simply didn't have time to address everything. Instead, he did what he could and tried to make it up to her with sweet favors in-between his tasks. It was the least he could do.

He still wasn't entirely sure how he felt about Corrin. The girl didn't seem to have any feasible responsibilities and was completely dependent on others to take care of her, not that she was at fault for how she was forcefully raised.

Even with his doubts, she was still the most pleasant person in the fortress by miles. Nobody was in the fortress by force, and even though Corrin had the best circumstances out of anybody within its thick stone walls, that didn't change the fact that her cheeriness was welcome.

The girl was certainly selfish and naïve. He couldn't deny that. At least she was kind…and kindness was what he desired most during his long days filled with sharp reprimands and punishing blows to his body. Thank goodness his uniform prevented Corrin from seeing the other bruises all over his back and abdomen. He wasn't sure the young woman had ever seen such grievous wounds, or how she would react upon seeing them. He preferred not to find out and risk causing his liege any disgust.

As Jakob tried and tried to perform his tasks as best he could, it was clear that's the young boy's inexperience with servitude was shining through more than ever. Jakob had performed his tasks decently when he was just adapting to life in the Northern Fortress and was slowly being trained to perform chores with the utmost diligence. Gunter notoriously emphasized quality of quantity. The system had worked out decently well for the young boy.

Now, with the young boy running around doing more chores than anyone else in the entire fortress, it made sense that that the quality of his work would steadily decline. The linens he washed were spotted with mud and the dishes he washed absent-mindedly were cloudy with scratches.

The other servants had been willing to just give the boy more work. It was Gunter who finally grabbed the boy's arm and hauled him to the fortress entrance. It appeared that the knight had finally grown exhausted with training a lost cause, especially since it was because of him that Garon know looked down upon him with more disdain than usual. While he couldn't take his anger out on Corrin, Jakob seemed like a fitting target.

Besides, it was Jakob who had inspired Lady Corrin's emotional outburst during Garon's last visit. Clearly he was both a terrible servant and a bad influence. Jakob was a waste of space, as far as Gunter was concerned.

"Clearly you're not ready for a life of servitude," the man grumbled, looking down at him with furious eyes. "Go survive on the streets. You'll be of better use to society in a ditch somewhere."

Jakob felt nothing as he was being dragged to the door. It was as if his mind and heart were hollow, and Gunter's harsh words were just bouncing around in empty space. The unkind words elicited no emotion other than knowing resignation.

It wasn't as if his life could have ended any better anyway.

Just as the large doors were drawn open and Gunter gathered his strength to toss the boy out into the blackness of the outside world, the voice of a little girl made him pause.

"Stop!"

The knight came to a shuddering halt and whipped around to see Corrin standing mere feet away. Jakob, who had been emotionally unconscious throughout Gunter's reprimanding, seemed to snap awake and stare at Corrin with wide eyes. His lilac gaze sought hers. The boy didn't dare whisper her name, no matter how much he desired to.

"Jakob…please come with me," the princess said with a smile on her face. Although it seemed like she was feigning innocence in asking for him, Jakob knew what she was doing. The princess was asking for him to save his life.

"You promised to bring me dinner tonight," she said with crossed arms. "Please come up to my quarters as soon as you can."

With those words, Gunter released Jakob. Before the boy knew what was happening, he was walking to the kitchen to prepared food for Corrin. He was almost sleepwalking as his hands went through the motions of preparing a dish for his liege, brewing her favorite flavor of tea and taking the tray back to the top of the fortress.

Gunter didn't say a word, and none of the other servants seemed to perter him along the way. While people still glared and whispered, he'd long since grown numb to their judgement.

When he finally reached Corrin's room, the young girl opened the door. Clearly she'd been expecting him and opened the door upon hearing his footsteps.

"Ah, Jakob!" she said gleefully. "Please come in."

This time, her welcome greeting made his heart swell. The boy couldn't agree fast enough as he walked into her chambers and instantly began to pour her a cup of piping hot tea. The little girl took a tea at the table and accepted the tea graciously, clearly thankful for another cup. The young boy wasn't good at many chores, but it seemed that he was quite good a brewing a pot of tea at least.

"Jakob, would you mind staying here to talk a bit?" Corrin asked timidly. "Like…I asked before?"

The young boy looked at her with an unyielding stare. Finally, he broke the silence and nodded his head in absolute obedience. "I wouldn't mind at all, _my lady_."

From that point on, that's what she was. Nobody else would care for her and dote on her as much as he would. He'd make damn sure that his lady, Corrin, was always happy and content. She had saved his life, and he promised silently to repay the favor.

The boy would do anything to keep that promise.

 **-END-**

I mentioned that this chapter would introduce Flora and Felicia. Yes…I completely forgot about the game's timeline. I realized I had to bring in Leo soon, soooo….next chapter will be the start of more fluffiness and fun, lol.

Thanks for reading and being patient with me!

Next chapter: Book Club Shenanigans


	5. Book Club Shenanigans

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T (suggestive themes in later chapters)

Disclaimer: I own absolutely no part of FE Fates or any other game in the Fire Emblem franchise. This story is written for fun, not profit.

Author's Notes: FE Echoes is out and AAAAAAAH. I'm so excited for the NA release, but I had to take a peek at the Japanese version! It's already such an improvement over Gaiden, in my opinion.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

 **-START-**

A few years had passed since that fateful day.

Shortly after Corrin saved Jakob from being thrown out of the Nohr, the young boy showed a change in demeanor that everyone in the fortress noticed.

Despite his inexperience, the boy showed impossible tenacity and a sudden increase of capability that was seemingly unexplained. Everything he cleaned was polished to perfection and all the meals he cooked became notorious among the other servants and even members of the royal family for their deliciousness. The young man had even convinced Gunter to teach him the basics of combat. Although his magic was far from superior, his stamina and strength showed great promise.

"You'd make an excellent knight or paladin," Gunter had even commented after one of their fighting sessions. "As a butler, your ability to utilize tomes and healing spells is subpar. You'd be even better with a sword than a dagger, my boy."

To that, Jakob merely scoffed. "What, and be like you? I'll pass."

Although many wondered where his sudden determination had come from, many didn't care to ask. Moreover, nobody was _allowed_ to ask.

In addition to Jakob's increased level of skill, his coldness had also reached an all-time high.

The boy didn't care to speak to many people at the fortress, and even went out of his way to avoid communicating with others as much as possible. He was professionally cordial only when he had to be and only responded to orders from Lady Corrin. Anyone else simply didn't matter to him.

Even after the passing of a few years, he didn't falter in his responsibilities or his devotion to his Lady. In his mind, she was his savior. She had rescued him from an uncertain life on the streets, and he saw an opportunity to repay her. He decided that, no matter what happened to Lady Corrin, he would stay by her side no matter what. If she needed anything, he would assist her and surpass all others when it came to being and her beck and call.

That met when Garon visited with her other siblings would bring Leo along, Jakob would force a smile and play along. He didn't raise any more qualms with the king, although he didn't hesitate to bark orders at the other servants left and right.

Leo wasn't the only new face that was introduced to the Northern Fortress. In addition to the blonde boy who seemed to have an attitude that could potentially rival Jakob's in iciness in the upcoming years, two more children were also brought into the fortress. Unlike Leo, the other two arrivals were young girls and were brought in under less favorable circumstances.

One day after serving Lady Corrin her favorite scones and orange-flavored tea, Gunter called the silver-haired boy away from his duties and ordered him to the servants' quarters. The young boy reluctantly followed, thinking that the old knight had some menial task or punishment for gods-knew-what in mind. It wasn't difficult to anger Gunter, and Jakob found that he was also quite talented at that task as well.

Instead, he was introduced to two twin sisters. They both wore the same expression, although the little girl with pink hair was sniveling and had obviously been crying. The other girl had ashy blue hair and sharp eyes that seemed to follow Jakob suspiciously the moment he stepped into the room.

"These two girls are from the Ice Tribe," Gunter explained, motioning a hand in their vague direction. Jakob watched them from the other side of the room with unamused eyes. "Their names are Flora and Felicia. They'll be serving as maids here from now on?"

"Maids, huh?" the blue haired girl suddenly quipped. She wore a sad smile and her humorless tone dripped with self-deprecation. "That's a fancy way to say _hostages_."

The old knight whipped his head in the direction of the two girls. The slightly younger sister, with gray eyes and hair the color of peony petals, made a loud sound of shock and stepped near her twin. "Sister, please! Don't make them angry…"

So that was it, Jakob thought with a slightly heavy heart. They'd been abducted. They were most likely taken from the tribe as a way to threaten Kilma and the rest of the village against possible revolt. Jakob could only imagine who would issue such an insensitive order.

"Jakob will help you two get adjusted," Gunter said plainly.

The silver-haired boy snorted and turned to Gunter with a lifted brow. "What? Why me? I didn't bring them here, so they aren't my responsibility."

"I am too busy with my knightly rounds and other duties to train them," Gunter responded curtly. The steeliness of his gaze left no room for argument.

Again, Flora let out a sad burst of mirth. "Train us? So we're not only hostages, but dogs as well?"

"Sister, please!" Felicia blubbered, holding her sister's arm tightly. The pink-haired girl eyed Jakob and slowly approached him. When she was only a few steps away from the confused boy, she bowed deeply to him and said in a flustered voice, "Umm…I'm sorry for our behavior! We look forward to your help. So um…I…um…"

Before she could finish her sentence, another sob crept up her throat and forced her to stop.

Jakob looked back and forth between the two girls. One was glaring icicles at him and the other was a sobbing mess. The boy grumbled and let out a heavy sight in anticipation of the great challenge that no doubt awaited him.

 _Great._

* * *

Training Felicia and Flora proved to be an even more arduous task than he ever anticipated. Although both were difficult to work with, their complications were the complete opposites of each other's. Felicia was even more terrible at chores than he'd been upon his initial arrival at the Northern Fortress. The pink-haired klutz always burned food and had almost broken an entire set of china after only a week of working. Although the girl was terrible at her actual work, she never once slept in and always seemed to have boundless energy when it came to wanting to correct her mistakes.

Although her countless errors infuriated Jakob, he had to admit she made enough admirable qualities that made truly hating her difficult.

Flora was decent at chores and was also a quick learner when it came to understanding the ways and means of the fortress. The girl excelled at laundry and, according to Corrin, her cooking was also quite good. Jakob made a note to keep tabs on Flora and keep up with his training so she didn't surpass him in skill.

However, Flora was no doubt less cordial than Felicia when it came to interacting with others. She was a happy medium between Jakob's abrasiveness and Felicia's cheeriness. The young woman smiled when appropriate, but was seemingly emotionless most of the time. Her unreadable nature made her somewhat hard to work with, although Jakob didn't necessarily mind. After all, he wasn't interested in talking to her or having any personal conversations with her. As long as she minded her own business and did her job, they'd have no problems.

Between handling his other chores and training two maids, Jakob still catered to his Lady's every need. No matter how scrapped his time was, he never failed to bring her tea or tend to the fireplace in her bedroom. He changed the linens on her bed and dusted all her furniture, in addition to cleaning many of the other rooms in the castle. Corrin insisted he didn't have to dote on her so much, but Jakob insisted that it was no trouble.

"You don't have to push yourself so hard," she told him. "You don't owe me anything. You're not just my servant, Jakob. Please don't tell me the only reason you visit so often and do so much for me is because you feel indebted to me."

"Not at all," he swore truthfully. "Although I am in your debt, I genuinely enjoy our time together."

"So…we're still friends?" Corrin had asked. The question had made Jakob's cheek color, but he'd ultimately nodded and agreed.

Finally, he had a name to describe their relationship. Although he knew it was inappropriate to hope to be more than master and servant, he did secretly long for some kind of camaraderie with her. Even if their friendship was highly restricted and formal, he would be lying if he said he didn't secretly long for it. After all, she had been the one bit of light in his life when he'd first come to the fortress.

They'd gotten off on a rocky start, but looking back, he realized how much she had helped him adjust.

As a result, he longed to pay her back.

The young butler had felt a little helpless attempting to plan anything by himself. He simply didn't have the time or resources to think of something she might truly like. However, with Felicia and Flora helping with all the chores in the fortress, he found himself with a little bit of spare time and decided to formulate a secret plan to thank Lady Corrin for all of her kindness.

To his surprise, it was Felicia who had come up with a possible idea to repay Corrin's kindness. The pink-haired girl had been dusting books in the fortress' modest library when an idea popped into her head.

When Jakob inquired what her idea was, the girl merely pointed to a nearby shelf. Before them was a row of leather-bound books with gilded edges and ancient-looking flourish. Upon picking a book out of the row and reading the title, Jakob immediately understood and felt a grin form on his usually cross face.

"This is perfect."

* * *

Corrin had been sitting in her bedroom crafting another letter to her older siblings about Garon's odd behavior when Flora had knocked on her bedroom door. Clearly, Corrin had been caught a little off guard by the sudden interruption, considering it was early in the evening and after dinner; a time when she never needed any servants and didn't usually call for company.

Seeing one of the new maids seek her out was a little thrilling to her. Any break in her strict schedule was always welcome.

The two conversed briefly before Flora insistently took Corrin's hand and told the young princess to follow her to the library. When Corrin asked why, the blue-haired girl merely smiled back at the young lady and told her it was a secret.

The two girls dashed down the cold walls of the fortress. Flora led the way and pulled Corrin along behind her, their hands clenched tightly together. Corrin asked multiple times what the reason behind Flora's urgency was, but she received only small glances and cheeky smiles in return.

When they finally arrived at the library, Flora pushed the doors open to reveal a surprising sight. Corrin had only been in the library a few times for a couple lessons, but as she entered with Flora, she was absolutely transfixed by the space.

The center of the room was adorned with a mismatching array of velvet cushions and plush throws from all areas of the fortress. Four chairs, all different in style, were arranged in a small circle amidst the circle of blankets and pillows.

Felicia and Jakob stood nearby, smiling at the princess and Flora led her forward. The little girl was equal parts stunned and bewildered. It took her a few moments to find her voice.

"What…is this?"

"It's a new activity," Jakob said plainly, which caused Flora to roll her eyes.

"Activity?" she asked while lifting one of her icy brows. "That makes it sound so dull."

"Well, he's not wrong," Felicia said with a shy laugh.

Corrin blinked in confusion again, not understanding what was happening just from their banter. Felicia saw the confused look on the young lady's face and stepped forward to take her hands.

"Milady, this is a new club just for you," the girl said, cheeks turning as pink as her hair. "We wanted to pay you back for being so nice and to take you mind of the King. So…"

Flora bowed deeply and swept her arm over the room in an arcing motion. She said in a regal voice, "Welcome to the Northern Fortress's first and only Book Club."

"Book Club?" Corrin asked incredulously, looking around the library with eyes as wide as saucers. The more she looked around the space, the more sense the statement made. The presence of the chairs and the placement of cushions and pillows from all over the citadel made a lot more sense.

It was a modest arrangement, but something about the obvious amount of effort and collaboration between the three made a powerful emotion stir in her chest. The fact that they had come together to plan a surprise for her suddenly made all her other worries evaporate. At that moment, she couldn't imagine feeling any happier.

"Milady, we thought that we'd get together on evenings when we're all free and read a book together," Jakob suggested. He extended a hand to Corrin and guided her to one of the seats. The princess sat down and waited for the other three servants to take seats around her. Once everyone had taken a seat, Jakob held out a couple books to her.

Corrin immediately recognized some of the books from the selves of the fortress's library, but she'd never read any of them. The more she thought about it, she hadn't even bothered to look at the titles of the books. The girl reached out to trace the outlines of the worn covers and asked, "What are these?"

"They're storybooks, filled with fairytales and the like," Jakob responded. "We thought these might be the most fun to read. We wanted you to choose our first book."

Corrin felt unbelievably humbled. It would have been an uncomfortable scenario if she had been with anyone else in the fortress that she was less familiar with. However, something about Flora and Felicia was so comforting that it was impossible to feel any discomfort.

Then, of course, there was Jakob.

They'd known each other for a few years since his initial arrival at the fortress, and he was her closest friend. There was still so much more she longed to learn about him, but given their positions, it was hard for them to find the time to converse long enough to discuss anything relatively deep. Most of their discussions were still small talk, which disappointed Corrin greatly.

Perhaps the Book Club, in addition to helping the lonely evenings pass faster, would help her learn more about the three servants that sat around her. She certainly hoped so.

"Thank you guys so much," she said sincerely, watching as all three of them nodded and gave her warm looks. Even Flora, who was the most reserved out of the three when it came to her emotions and their readability to others, managed a grin.

"You're more than welcome, milady," the blue-haired maid said encouragingly. "Now, go on. We've already discussed it, and we want you to choose first.

"Then…I choose this one," Corrin said after a few seconds of musing. She picked out a book with a yellowed cover and faux gold trim that had already started to peel off at the edges. It was a book containing a variety of legends, one of which was about a young princess trapped in a tower.

It was an oddly fitting legend, given the situation.

All four took turns reading passages from the book while passing it around the circle. That way, each individual could have both the opportunity to read and listen.

The story was about an unnamed princess with who had been locked high in a tower for her entire life by her family. The girl was described as being a teenager with long hair and eyes that sparkled like diamonds. It was a rather typical description for a young maiden in a typical fairytale, but Corrin seemed to find it fascinating.

Of course, the princess could do nothing but waste away in her prison and wait for someone to save her. An unnamed prince showed up halfway through the tale and came across the tower while passing through the land on horseback. For reasons unclear, the young man seemed devoted to saving the young woman in peril. Like the princess, the prince was only vaguely described, but one of the illustrations in the book depicted a man in knightly armor with long hair.

After facing trials like witches and monsters, the prince had defeated most of the obstacles in his way. The last challenge before him was a mighty dragon, which was seemingly impossible to slay with just a sword.

Regardless, the chapter ended with the prince expressing his resolve to save the princess, staring down the dragon with fearless eyes.

Before the quartet could read the ending of the clichéd tale, the sun was starting to set and the group had been reading and laughing aloud for hours. When Jakob saw Corrin reluctantly yawn, he deemed that it was time for the Book Club to wrap up its first meeting. It seemed that the idea had been a grand success, as none of them had even realized how quickly time had passed while they were together.

Although Corrin wanted to object, she knew that the club should disperse before nightfall. Plus, waiting until the next meeting to read the ending of the fable would give her something to look forward too.

While Flora and Felicia ran around the fortress and returned every borrowed cushion and blanket to its rightful home, Jakob helped a very sleepy Corrin back to her bedroom for the night. She changed and washed up in her attached washroom while he prepared her bed and fireplace. The boy had to struggle to not openly express his own exhaustion, thinking it would be inappropriate for his mistress to see.

Once she exited the washroom and climbed into bed, it was a heroic effort on her part to keep her eyes open. Although she was physically exhausted from their afternoon of fun, her mind was still racing from the book they'd been reading. Never before had she felt so engrossed in a story, and never before had someone read to her. Felicia, Flora and Jakob were all quite expressive readers, and at some points, they'd even provided their own sound effects to go along with the narration. To say it was a heartwarming sight was a gross understatement.

"I hope you had fun today, milady," the boy said sweetly. "I'm sure you're tired. I'll depart and let you get some rest."

The young lady's eyes fluttered softly as she watched Jakob turn away from her bed and retrieve her clothes to take to the laundry. Before he could leave, she called out to him. "Jakob? Can you wait a second?"

The boy paused and turned to meet her ruby gaze. Perhaps it was her imagination, but his eyes seemed to smile back at her. "What is it, milady?"

The little girl dipped her head beneath the sheets for a moment and asked somewhat bashfully, "How do you think the story ends?"

"What?"

"The story we were reading," she elaborated with a little blush. "I mean, I know we'll read the ending in a few days…but I'm so excited! I really want to talk about it."

"Ah, I see," he responded kindly. The boy gently placed her folded laundry on a nearby table and pulled up a spare chair to her beside. If they were going to talk for a while, it seemed only appropriate the he be seated to be as eye-level with her as possible. "You wanted to have a discussion? That's good."

"Huh?" she asked, blinking her eyes. "Why?"

"Well, wanting to talk about a book typically means it resonated with you on some level," he said with a tiny grin. "Whether it's good or bad, it's captured your interest on some level."

Corrin smiled brightly and nodded, figuring he was right. "I did enjoy it! I can't stop thinking about how it might end."

Jakob chuckled and nodded, agreeing with her. Although he'd never openly tell Felicia about how great her book choice had been, he had to admit that the usually clumsy maid chose the perfect book to captivate the princess's interest. The parallels to Corrin's real life were too copious for it to be mere coincidence.

"How would you like it to end?" Jakob asked with genuine interest.

"Obviously, I want the princess to get out of her tower," she said, sitting up from the mattress with a little bounce. "I want her to get out and for the prince to defeat the dragon so they can be together."

The little butler tilted his head in her direction. The boy wore a tiny, slightly mocking smirk on his face as he said, "With all due respect, milady, that seems like an obvious ending. Clearly if a legend has a prince and princess, they'll obviously get together at the end."

"Really?" Corrin asked incredulously. The little girl looked slightly dumbfounded by his seemingly obvious statement. "I've never read any other stories with a prince and princess before. Is that what usually happens?"

It was Jakob's turn to be surprised. "Never?"

"No," she said with a simple shake of the head. "There aren't a lot of books here, and the only reason I learned to read is because Father ordered me to have lessons. I only got to read textbooks and manuscripts though with my teachers."

The young boy felt a little sting of embarrassment at his own insensitivity and gave her an apologetic stare. "Oh, I'm very sorry. No wonder you had no idea."

The little girl shook her head and dismissed Jakob's earlier comment with a wave of her small hand. "Don't worry about it! I'm just thankful that I learned how to read. I never imagined you could actually do it for fun."

The silver-haired boy sensed that there was more that the little girl wanted to say. Hoping she'd feel comfortable and speak her mind, he asked her in a delicate voice, "Do you like stories about princes and princesses? There are many fairytales about that, so I'm sure we can find and read as many as you'd like."

Corrin took an extra moment to mull over a proper reply.

"Well," she began hesitantly as she folded her arms over her legs to draw her knees a little closer to her chest. "Kind of."

"Kind of?" Jakob asked with slightly widened eyes.

"I like the prince in the story because he shows up to help the princess," she said. "The prince came to help her, so he's obviously nice, but why is he helping her? How do they know each other? It's great that the prince is willing to help the princess escape her tower, but it seems so weird. They're not siblings, so clearly they're from different kingdoms. Why would he work so hard to rescue her? They know nothing about one another. He's obviously risking his life for her for some reason, yet they seem to have no ties to each other."

Jakob was a little stunned by her level of analysis. He definitely hadn't expected the young lady to read so far into an everyday fairytale. Then again, he supposed her curiosity was justified considering her lack of inexperience with such clichéd fables.

Corrin continued dreamily, "I like the prince, but it just didn't make sense to me. It would have made more sense for someone closer to her to save her. Like…"

"Like a best friend?" Jakob asked with a little smile. The young princess was still naïve, but he couldn't help finding her logic true. "Maybe a devoted sibling?"

"Maybe," she thought with a little hum. "Or…maybe her butler?"

The serene expression that had been on his face while listening to his lady's pure words vanished and was replaced with a more flustered expression. Against his will, his cheeks colored dark pink.

"A butler?" he asked, struggling to not stammer. "Why…would you say that?"

 _Calm down, she's not talking about you,_ a voice in his head chastised. The sudden bit of logic did calm his suddenly racing heart, but not by much.

"Well, the princess's butler would know her better," she reasoned. "He would at least have a reason to rush to her side and help her. If you, Flora or Felicia got locked away, I'd come rescue you guys. We have a bond! The prince and princess just…don't seem _close_ enough."

"And you think we are?" Jakob asked, forgetting himself for a moment as he expressed informal curiosity. "I mean, you think we're close enough?"

Corrin shrugged playfully. " _I_ think we are. I mean, we're closer than the prince and princess."

The young boy sat wordlessly, unsure of how to reply to her statement. He supposed she was correct, but not entirely so. There weren't a lot of servants that would risk life and limb to rush to the aid of their lieges. Only the most devoted would undertake the task, and even if the couple succeeding in escaping, he had no doubt the ending of the story would be much darker.

The boy had been a servant for a couple years now, and knew the cruel punishments and crimes inflicted upon servants.

If a butler saved the princess, they wouldn't be able to stay together.

There was a definite line between a butler and a princess; servant and master. Despite his constantly growing curiosity, he could never actually cross it.

"Hey, Jakob?"

Her voice stirred him from his musings. "Yes, milady?

The girl looked at Jakob squarely. Her maroon gaze was unyielding, which was a stark contrast to the aimless way she seemed to twiddle her thumbs in her lap. "Um…if I was locked away or if something bad happened to me, would you come find me?"

His blood ran cold at that question. His brain returned to the darkness of his previous thoughts, thinking and rethinking all the possible implications behind her question.

"I'm sorry, I know it's a selfish question, but…" Corrin rambled when Jakob didn't respond immediately.

Trying to stay calm and professional, Jakob reached out and took one of the princess's tiny hands into his.

"I would," he said, the words as soft and delicate as feathers. His thumb brushed over her knuckles ever so lightly. It was a soothing gesture met to calm her nervousness. "If you ever needed to be saved, I would do everything in my power to find you and bring you home."

The little girl stared up at him with wide eyes as her pale lips formed a grateful smile. "Really?"

"Yes," the boy promised with a gentle pat of her hand.

The young princess looked at Jakob with thankful eyes. She placed her hand over Jakob's and encased his hand in warmth, her palms and fingers closing over his flesh.

"Jakob, thank you!"

The young man nodded to her and reluctantly pulled his hand from her grasp. Unfortunately, he still had some work to do, and knew the repercussions would be huge if he didn't complete his tasks accordingly.

"It's late, princess," Jakob said with a whisper. He urged her to lie down and pulled the covers back over her. He extended one arm to pick up the lit candle on the nightstand and another to pick up the laundry that he'd grabbed earlier to be taken to the wash. "You should go to sleep. I'll come by tomorrow morning to wake you up."

"Okay," she said, pulling the covers over her chin. Once the little girl had rolled over onto her side, Jakob bowed to her one last time and started to make his way out of the room.

The boy's hand was mere inches away from the door handle when she called out to him again.

"Jakob?"

The butler turned to face her, walking a few steps until he was at her bedside again. He discarded the laundry, but kept the candle firmly clenched in one of his hands to illuminate their faces as they spoke.

"Yes, milady?"

"…Have you ever thought of growing your hair?" Corrin suddenly asked. She slowly inched her hand out from the warm blankets and lifted it to tousle the silver strands. Jakob was thankful for the darkness in the room and how it concealed the tiny blush that had suddenly bloomed on his face. He wondered what in the world had caused the sudden rush of heat. It wasn't like the last time he'd blushed, when she made a comment about wishing the prince in the fairytale was a butler.

This time, she'd just touched him.

"Um…I haven't given it much thought," he confessed truthfully as her finger mussed his shorter, chin-length locks. "Why do you ask?"

Corrin chuckled sweetly and shook her head.

"Nothing," she said. "I was just curious. Good night!"

Before he could object, she rolled over and closed her eyes. He heard her giggle giddily, but didn't open his mouth to question her. The boy merely sighed in confusion and bid her goodnight as well.

As the boy exited her room and made his way to the wash room to despot the girl's clothes, he pondered all the reasons why Corrin would ask such a bizarre and seemingly random question. Jakob was ready to chalk it up to his mistress simply being tired or his brain overthinking things.

Then, a realization dawned on him. The sudden insight made his eyes widen and his normally brisk steps slow to an amble and finally to a stop.

The prince in the fairytale had been described as having long hair.

 **-END-**

Thank goodness this is taking place in the Conquest universe, otherwise these Flora moments would be really sad. They're still sad, but obviously less so than in the Hoshido route.

Birthright may be the easier game, but _damn_ , the amount of sacrifice just isn't worth it (even if Conquest's story is effin' INSANE.)

Part of me does kind of wish Jakob and Flora could support, especially when I play as M!Corrin…although I'd love it _more_ if Jakob was like Niles and you could date him no matter the avatar's gender. Same with characters like Silas and Kaze or Felicia and Azura.

It just seems weird Jakob and Flora can't support, along with Scarlet and Ryoma and Alm and Faye in Echoes/Shadows of Valentia. I haven't played Awakening, but isn't the same true with Cordelia and Chrom? So much unrequited love!

Anyway, thanks for reading! I'll see you guys again soon!

Next time, Silas will pay the fortress a visit.


	6. A Redeeming Factor

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T (for suggestive themes in later chapters.)

Disclaimer: I own no part of FE franchise, including the plot or characters of Fates. Please only credit me for this story.

Author's Note: I went out and got Shadows of Valentia on opening day and have been playing it between updates. So far I love Tobin (FAVORITE), Kliff, Mae, Leon (SECOND FAV), Clair…and obviously Alm and Celica. You bet I've got a ton of stories planned.

Enjoy!

 **-START-**

Thanks to Book Club, some of the anxiety that had been brewing within the walls of the Northern Fortress seemed to calm slightly. The months following the formation of their new secret society were slightly more tolerable compared to the prior months.

The presence of the two new maids from the Ice Tribe was also appreciated. Much to Jakob's chagrin, he had to admit it was nice to have company when working, even if Felicia was clumsy with everything and Flora seemed to only regard him with cool indifference.

Not that he minded. All he really needed was to serve his liege Corrin. Everything else was simply garnish.

Although the servants still treated Corrin coldly and assigned Jakob way too many chores, neither seemed to mind because they knew that they would be able to vent all their frustrations over a good story.

Plus, Jakob was starting to get good at chores. Even Gunter had noticed his remarkable growth since coming to the citadel years ago. The only item of concern the veteran knight had chided him over was the growing length of the young boy's hair. After all, servants had to present themselves with the utmost tidiness at all times, especially when serving royals. The isolated nature of the Northern Fortress didn't matter, since they still received visits from Castle Krakenburg.

"Boy, your hair is almost longer than your shoulders," the older man said with a sigh when Jakob reported to him one morning for chore assignments. Pinching the bridge of his nose in agitation, the old knight commanded the boy to cut his hair. Of course, Jakob refused.

"Felicia and Flora have long hair," he objected indifferently as he ran his fingers through his silvery locks.

"Yes, but they both tie their hair back," Gunter said. "Long hair can be seen as unhygienic."

"Then I'll tie mine back too," Jakob said with a shrug. That was a fine compromise in his mind, and as much as the boy's attitude clearly infuriated the older knight, he couldn't object to the validity of the boy's suggestion and ultimately ended up storming off to attend to his other knightly duties.

Either way, it was difficult for the boy to not feel victorious after the little spat. It seemed he was getting better at matching wits with the other staff members, especially Gunter. His aristocratic tutelage definitely played a part in his articulation, but it was the hopelessness of his situation that gave him the extra edge. Anything beyond cordial politeness was unnecessary in his mind, and if provoked, his unleashed a silver tongue that quickly became notorious even among older staff members.

Shortly after Gunter left, Jakob realized he didn't have a ribbon or band to tie his hair with. The boy brushed it off and figured he could borrow one from someone later on, or request one as part of his uniform. It was _that_ important, after all, at least according to Gunter.

"Well, it's not like we're expecting guests," he muttered to himself. The silence of the fortress greeted his words.

Then, all of a sudden, a laugh pierced the silence. It sounded a lot like his mistress's laugh. Confused, the young boy moved through the halls until he came across Flora, who was carrying a tea tray to Corrin's bedroom.

"Flora," Jakob called stridently. The loudness of his call almost surprised her to the point where she dropped the tray and broke the china. "What the hell are you doing up here?"

The girl's stare was as icy as usual, but was stormier than usual in reply to Jakob's rudeness. His aristocratic background did more than raise his intelligence, but also his self-centeredness and disregard for others.

"You are not my boss," Flora said with a venomous stare. "Don't you dare raise your voice at me!"

Jakob stiffened at her harsh tone and averted his lilac gaze. Although it was tempting to apologize, the urge fled him almost as quickly as it arrived. There were more pressing matters to see to, after all.

"I heard Lady Corrin laughing," he said, gesturing to her room a few paces away.

"Oh," Flora replied hollowly. "Well, she has a visitor. A noble boy."

Jakob blinked stupidly, which caused the blue-haired girl to smirk. Knowing that she had seemingly struck a nerve, she continued knowingly, "I believe his name is Silas. Anyway, he's been assigned to be our lady's playmate."

"A playmate?" Jakob asked skeptically as he planted his hands on his hips.

According to Flora, the young boy was a noble child from a nearby city that had been hired to be Corrin's playmate. Apparently King Garon had ordered that, in preparation for her royal roles that she would slowly adopt as she grew older, that she socialize with other individuals that weren't servants. Jakob was especially skeptical about that, considering the King's horrendous treatment of his daughter in previous situations. The gesture seemed a little too generous.

In addition to the lack of sense in Silas's appearance, the overall news clearly wasn't setting well with him. He asked in a voice low enough to almost be a hiss, "How the hell did that happen? This fortress is isolated to keep her identity a secret. Why would they do something as idiotic as hire an outside playmate? No doubt they had to pay to cart him in, and I'm sure his family knows where he is."

He wouldn't put it past some nobles to squeal on the kingdom of Nohr and sabotage the Corrin's secrecy to make some quick money. The information of the mysteriously hidden princess would no doubt be of interest to other kingdoms.

His parents certainly would have taken advantage of said situation, Jakob thought bitterly, if he'd been worth more than petty servitude.

"It doesn't make sense," Jakob said finally.

The icy maid shrugged her petit shoulders and turned on her heels to walk to Corrin's chamber, her dress flouncing in sync with her footsteps. "I don't know, but it sounds like they're having fun."

Jakob clicked his tongue in disapproval as Flora knocked on the door and entered with a cheery smile to serve tea to Corrin and her new friend.

The young boy walked towards the bedroom, resolving to at least take a peek inside the chamber while he was passing. If Corrin called him inside, he'd pretend he was just innocently walking by her room.

 _You're being ridiculous_ , his mind chastised. _Why the hell do you care so much? She saved your life, but it's not your job to protect her. He's just a playmate, you moron._

He pushed the thoughts aside and moved past her bedroom. In his peripheral vision, only for a second, he saw the young boy. His hair was unkempt and a shade of muted cyan he had never seen before. Although not part of the royal family, his clothes were of much higher quality than Corrin's.

The two appeared to be using pieces of charcoal to make drawings on a few pages of old parchment between them. When Flora presented the tea, Corrin's face lit up as he looked to the young boy, who also appeared to be smiling.

Flora was right. The two seemed to be having fun and enjoying themselves.

Against his better judgement, the young butler smiled. After all, as long as Corrin was happy, he was happy. It would be irresponsible for him to resent anything that brought his liege enjoyment, especially considering how dark their life inside the fortress was.

The boy was thrilled to simply see her having fun with someone else her own age. After all, he, Felicia and Flora weren't always available to give her company. It was a good opportunity for her to be social.

Feeling content, Jakob decided to move on. He figured that he had nothing to worry about.

XOXOXOXO

"Jakob! Jakob, wake up!"

Felicia was sprinting down the halls of the servants' quarters and throwing open every door in her way. The young girl was still dressed in only her nightshirt, since it was still before dawn and her long pink hair was untied and frantically whipping behind her as she ran.

When the pink haired girl finally came across Jakob's room, she banged on the door with both fists. Her hands were red and bruised, but she didn't seem phased by the pain.

When the silver-haired boy answered the door, eyes sleepy and hair tangled, he opened his mouth to chide her for waking him up so rudely. His words were cut off by Felicia tearfully yelling over him, "It's Lady Corrin! She's gone!"

Jakob feel silent, feeling as if an arrow had pierced his heart.

Felicia explained that another servant had gone upstairs a few minutes ago to check on Corrin after finding that one of the fortress's back doors was unlocked. The staff's worst fears were recognized when the young servant found Corrin's bed empty and her whereabouts completely unaccounted for.

Gunter had been one of the first to catch wind of the news and immediately organized a search party to comb the fort's exterior. All the while, the citadel's staff members were uprooting anything from furniture to floorboards to find the young princess. If they failed, execution would be imminent.

"Jakob, do you know where she might have gone?" Felicia asked fretfully as Jakob slammed the door to his chamber to get changed. A few moments later, the boy emerged dressed sloppily in his uniform. It would have to do for the moment.

"No, I don't," he said brashly as he ran down the hall in the direction of a cacophony of panicked screaming and the patter of frantic footsteps. It appeared that the entire fortress was awake.

"Felicia, get dressed and get your sister," Jakob ordered. "We'll help look for Lady Corrin together."

The pink haired girl nodded and ran in the opposite director on Jakob. Meanwhile, the silver haired boy got to work running about the fortress and doing whatever he could to help. As dawn slowly illuminated the fortress, he lit candles and carried supplies and ran orders back and forth between staff members and the knights.

Their efforts were not in vain. About an hour later, Corrin was found and returned to the fortress.

Silas had helped her sneak out of the fortress, apparently to take her on a picnic outside of the citadel's walls. Apparently Silas had taken note of the doors of the fortress and, in the early morning hours, Corrin had unlocked one of the back doors and Silas had helped her crawl through one of the crawlspaces under the castle's guarded fences that hadn't been filled in. Jakob imagined that the hole would be filled in immediately to prevent such an incident from happening again.

The following hours consisted of Corrin pleading with Gunter to not order Silas's execution. After all, sneaking out had been her idea. The girl cited her own selfishness as the driving force behind their meet-up.

From what Jakob heard, the knight had given the guilty princess quite the tongue lashing, and he couldn't blame him.

The butler couldn't help but feel aggravated at his mistress yet again. After all, they'd gone through a lot of trouble with the creation of Book Club and making time in their schedule to visit and accommodate her, only for her to vanish and almost cause the execution of her playmate, and possibly the fortress's staff if she'd been missing for long enough for word to reach Castle Krakenburg before her discovery.

"Ugh, our mistress is so immature and selfish," Flora said tartly as she, Felicia and Jakob worked on cleaning the fortress after the early morning panic of the princess's disappearance. "Does she even know how much trouble she caused?"

Jakob had to agree, but was too tired to present his usual amount of attitude. He was too busy feeling absolutely relieved that Corrin was safe, even if she and Silas had acted out of line.

Even if he was angry at her acting so selfishly, he couldn't help but be a little sympathetic. After all, he knew what it was like to be locked up without escape. That being said, he also hadn't tried to run away at the expense of the safety of others. The two children had clearly acted thoughtlessly.

"She definitely has her flaws, but it's not her fault she's so naïve," Felicia argued weakly.

"That's not an excuse," Flora chided.

Unfortunately, Jakob knew Flora was right. The boy leaned the mop he'd been using to clean the stone floors against the wall and darted up the nearest set of stairs. He needed to go talk to his mistress.

* * *

"Bye bye Citrus!" Corrin called from her window, waving her arm frantically down below as Silas was taken to a carriage, spared a terrible fate thanks to Corrin's begging and pleading. "I'll see you soon!"

The silver haired boy looked up at her with sad eyes, knowing the truth. After helping her sneak out, he wasn't permitted to travel back to the fortress, nor would he and Corrin probably ever see each other again. Regardless, he faked a smile and called up to her, "Princess! My name is Silas!"

She laughed loudly and waved both arms over her head. "Hehe, bye bye Cyrus!"

The boy's cheeks reddened at her silliness. Still, he gaze flickered with sadness in knowing the truth of their situation, and feeling immense guilt at the severe punishment that would no doubt be inflicted upon her.

The boy motioned to wave at her again, but was quickly ushered into a carriage and carried away. If he'd replied to her farewell, Corrin hadn't been able or hear it. Regardless, the little girl kept waving her arm frantically back and forth in the direction of the dark carriage, even as it rolled towards the horizon and eventually rolled out of sight.

Finally, Corrin stopped and lowered her arm until it hung limply at her side.

Jakob watched the little girl from the doorway. He could tell just by her stillness and silence that not everything was not well. Finally, he dared to speak. "My lady?"

The silence was deafening as the only sound he could hear was Corrin's shallow breathing. It sounded as if she was struggling in some way.

Jakob lifted a brow and took a step toward her turned back. When she didn't turn to face him, he suddenly realized something. The boy realized what had caught his so off-guard about his mistress's vanishing earlier in the day, and why he'd had such a hard time accepting her selfishness. Her closed-off body language told him everything he needed to know. The boy had never seen her so withdrawn.

"My lady, you did something _awful_ today," Jakob said in a grave voice. "Silas could have died. We could have been executed."

The girl nodded weakly and finally turned to meet his gaze. Her eyes were unnaturally red, even for her. "Yes, I know. Jakob, I'm so sorry."

"You should be," he said bitingly. "What you did was foolish and selfish."

"I know," she relented, her head shrinking between her shoulders. "It was. I'm so sorry."

"It was awful, cruel, idiotic," he said, listing off hurtful adjectives as if it was second nature. With each one, the girl flicked as if she'd just been struck with a stinging hand. When she was finally so shrunken up at her eyes had screwed shut, he finally concluded his hurtful list. " _And_ …you took the blame for all of it, didn't you?"

Corrin's eyes snapped open. The girl looked outright astonished at his deduction. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Sneaking out wasn't _your_ idea," Jakob said plainly. "You lied to Gunter to cover Silas. You both planned it together, and it was _his_ idea."

The little girl gave him a blatantly guilty expression before denying it with a quick shake of the head. With an averted gaze, she defiantly stated, "You're wrong! It was my fault. I wanted to leave the fortress because I had never been outside before."

As expected of someone so sheltered, she was a terrible liar.

"My lady, I saw the stone wall outside," Jakob said. "You know, where you two crawled under the fence to get out. You couldn't have known about the hole in the wall because you've never been outside the fortress. It would have been easy for Silas to see it, and then tell you about it."

Corrin was silent as Jakob continued speaking.

"So, Silas saw the hole in the fence," he reasoned, his tone and gaze unyielding as they bore into the young girl. "He probably told you about it and, being a noble meeting you for the first time, thought it would be a good gift to a new friend to take you outside. Of course, you helped him by unlocking the back door because you knew it would later give Silas an alibi and allow him to get away should you two get caught. _You_ knew the repercussions… _he_ did not.

"That being said, you still allowed him to do it and agreed to the plan! You knew he could be executed and that we could be punished if you got caught, _which you did_."

During his entire speech, her eyes remained locked onto the floor. She didn't dare look up until he was done speaking, and by the time she lifted her head, she looked like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. It was as if she had resigned to being discovered by her butler.

"Are you going to tell on me?" she asked after a moment. "Please don't. Even if I can never see Silas again…I still want him to be alive. Please, Jakob."

Although Corrin and Silas had given him plenty of reason to be angry, he found himself unable to deny her request. After all, she had taken the blame for something that hadn't completely been her fault. Even if they were both to blame, even a pinch of fault on Silas's end would have had fatal consequences for him and perhaps even his family.

In a way, she'd saved him. Jakob of all people could appreciate that.

"I won't," he promised. "After all, he also made you happy. I'm still angry at him, though for causing so much trouble. The same goes for you too."

His last words had more of a teasing tone that lightened the mood enough for Corrin to manage a smile. "I know. I deserve it."

The little girl knifed her fingers through her flaxen curls to push them behind her headband nervously. While doing so, Jakob noticed her oddly pointed ears at the indication of tears in her eyes. Before he could comment on either, the girl ran into his arm and embraced him tightly.

The servant stiffened in his master's arms, bristling like a cat being petted by an unfamiliar hand. Jakob felt his face become molten at the sensation of his master hugging him so tightly. Before he could push away, he heard sounds of his mistress crying. He looked down to see silvery streaks running down her face and her brows furrowed severely against the linen of his shirt.

"Jakob…" she cried, barely able to form words through sobs. His heart wrenched at the sight, all his previous anger seemed to leave him. "Jakob, I barely got to get to know him…and I almost hurt him. I could have killed him! He's gone, and I'll never see him again! _I ruined it_!"

The boy looked down at her with severe eyes and tried to summon the power to tell her it wasn't her fault. He couldn't do it.

Instead, he wrapped his arms around her and drew her into a comforting embrace. Although he knew what he was doing wasn't allowed between servant and master, he couldn't resist rubbing soothing circles into her back and shushing her gut-wrenching sobs when they caused her skinny body to convulse with misery.

After a moment, Corrin swallowed her remaining sadness and finally said, "Thank you."

The young boy nodded and made a motion to pull away from her. He had a handkerchief in his pocket that she could use on her face. "You're welcome, my…"

Before he could finish, Jakob felt Corrin's hand in his hair. Seconds later, she backed away herself as if she was admiring something. Was she…admiring him? That's what her eye contact seemed to indicate. Confused, he reached over his head and felt that his hair was suddenly tied back. In addition, it was tied back with a silk ribbon. Jakob knew how expensive the material was just by touching it and suddenly flashed back to his earlier years in a lavish home with closets of expensive, stuffy clothes.

"A ribbon?" he asked in a befuddled tone. "My lady, where did you get this?"

"I asked Silas to bring a ribbon back from town on his next visit," she said. "I asked for purple. I…think it suits you. I'm sorry you two never got to meet. I wanted him to give it to you so all three of us could be friends."

If that was the case, it was true that she really hadn't anticipated sneaking outside the castle's walls. Jakob felt a little more resentment for Silas's carelessness, but his feelings for Corrin were another story.

Jakob's heart skipped a beat at the mere notion that she had thought of him. Even if she was incredibly naïve and unintentionally disregarded others, he had to admit that it was a sweet gesture on her end to ask for a gift on his behalf. No doubt she'd thought of it herself, since Gunter wouldn't have raised a topic like a servant's dress code with a princess.

"Thank you, my lady…" he said, almost humbled beyond words.

"Please, call me Corrin," she said sweetly. Then, a look of sadness crossed her face as she realized that it wouldn't be possible for him to grant her request. "Oh…I'm sorry. I can't ask that of you, can I?"

Jakob shook his head briskly, although his smile stayed in place.

"Ugh, there I go being inconsiderate again…" she said, sighing and rubbing her head. "Um, Jakob? I know I've taken a lot of your time, but can you have tea with me this evening?"

By now, Jakob knew her well enough. After crying, Corrin was prone to headaches and enjoyed fragrant teas to alleviate the pain. After the day she'd had, it was no surprise that she was craving a warm drink instead of food. It was also so late that most of the chefs and servants had long since cleaned the kitchen, although he would have made her something if she asked.

"Peppermint tea with sugar cookies, right?" he asked with a laugh. It was her favorite combination for when she felt ill and also happened to miss dinner. "I'll fetch it now."

Before he could leave, she gently grabbed his hand. "Oh, and bring two cups! I want to share a cup with you this time."

Jakob smiled sweetly at her, feeling the blush spread across his nose and even down his neck. He squeezed her hand and bowed to his lady, who could never resist giggling at the sight of his formality.

"The pleasure would be all mine, Lady Corrin."

 **-END-**

I swear I'm not making Flora mean because I hate her. This is Conquest, after all. I enjoy recruiting Flora, lol. I feel like any normal person in her situation would be really bitter, and rightfully so. If she's too OOC, please let me know.

I also really like Silas! After Jakob, Silas is my favorite partner for Corrin. Maybe I'll try a Silas/Corrin fanfic one day.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! Thank you all for being so sweet and patient with my updates and typos!


	7. My Heart is a Furnace (Part 1)

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T (Suggestive themes)

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to FE Fates or any other gams in the Fire Emblem franchise. This story is written purely for fun.

Author's Note: I'm so sorry for the delay! I could say it was work-related, but it was more like stress AND work together. I was up for over 48 hours straight, so if this chapter is crazy, that might be why, haha!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **-START-**

Even after Silas was banished from the Northern Fortress, Corrin still held onto a tiny shred of hope that he would return someday.

She'd only gotten to know him for a short period of time, but the moments she'd spent with him had been nice. The young boy had been amicable and more than pleasant to talk to. Of course, she'd be lying if she said she also hadn't found him kind of cute.

However, the days passed, and Silas never returned. Nobody even dared to speak his name in the fortress, especially in front of Gunter. Days turned into years, and Silas never returned. Her hope slowly faded.

However, she wasn't alone. Her companions made sure Corrin's mind was occupied while she recovered from the loss of her first normal friend.

Flora, Felicia and Jakob made sure to keep her busy and spend as much time as they could with the young mistress. The quartet read books and made up their own games, and even began to write and share their own stories with each other. Felicia had started writing an ongoing piece about a Pegasus rider who escaped the confined of her kingdom and explored the world, meeting friends and allies along the way. The symbolism wasn't subtle. Flora mostly wrote poetry, and Jakob mainly served as an editor. He never really felt like writing. Nothing ever served as an adequate source of inspiration for him to tap into.

Their small works of fiction paled in comparison to the rick operas or shows one might see in Cyrkensia, but it was sufficient entertainment for them. In reality, it was all they had.

Time ambled on at a leisurely pace inside the cold walls of the fortress. The only thing that kept the group sane was Book Club and the occasional letters Corrin would receive from her doting sibling. The others didn't even have that. The girl knew she was fortunate to have at least some ties with her family, and put on a positive mask even in times of crippling doubt.

One day, Corrin received a letter that she had yet another younger sibling. According to the note, she was a blonde girl named Elise. According to Xander, she had hair that spiral into neat coils, which Corrin could have pulled off if she could control her unruly locks. Jakob was the only one skilled enough to even come close to accomplishing the task.

The mysterious young girl was apparently already a few years old, but had been kept a secret from everyone. Although the details of Xander's letter were deliberately vague, Corrin still recognized the strange conditions of Elise's birth. The girl had been kept a secret for a few years following her birth and, just like Leo, very little was known about a possible mother figure.

It felt like a knife in the back.

While she was thrilled to have another sibling, she had to wonder what made Elise so special. At first, the idea of another one of her siblings being locked away actually sent a little thrill down her spine. She felt a sense of kinship with Elise, since they'd both been sheltered away and shrouded in secrecy. For a moment, she felt less isolated and alone, even if her reasoning was beyond selfish.

 _I'm not the only one who was locked away!_

Unfortunately, such was not the case. According to Xander's letter, Elise was about to celebrate her fourth birthday. Her younger sister had been raised in secrecy for four years. She'd spent most of her infancy and early childhood within the more private chambers of Castle Krakenburg. The young girl still had easy access to her friends and siblings.

Corrin was almost a teenager and was still locked away in an isolated prison. Her only interactions with family came from infrequent letters.

Still, the little girl didn't give into the growing despair in her heart. As if her slightly pointed ears and white hair weren't enough, she was still the only one among all her other siblings to be locked away. It was difficult to not feel singled out. Still, she couldn't allow her mask to crumble in front of Jakob, Flora or Felicia.

Although her life was miserable, her conditions were still better than theirs. Corrin knew she couldn't forget her privilege. Instead, she decided to use it to help others.

Instead of wallowing in self-pity, the young girl made a silent promise. She decided to make her three friends happy and do everything in her power to take care of them.

After all, they were her real _family._

* * *

"Get your hands off of me!"

Flora dropped the tea tray that she'd been carrying to the meeting room to conjure an ice spell. A larger hand caught her wrist and forced it back against the cold stone wall.

The girl had been trying to deliver refreshments to Gunter while he consulted with representatives from the castle on the fortress's security. Updates were requested twice as often since the incident with Silas, and Gunter always requested fine tea to present to the royals who showed up. After all, they wanted to give a good impression.

On her way, he'd been stopped by two servants that happened to be passing by. The girl knew they were employed by the fortress, but weren't regulars like herself, Felicia and Jakob. She figured they were more experienced staff members that traveled with lords and ladies on missions, helping at the fortress during their down time.

She had greeted them formally and attempted to pass by.

They'd grabbed her and pressed her hear a wall. In defense, Flora attempted to swat then and use the only ice spell she knew to stop them, but was quickly overpowered by the two larger individuals.

"My my, look at this girl" one of them said, cackling at the apparent anger and terror on Flora's face. "She's cute! Judging by that spell you just tried to pull, you must be that little cutie they took from the Ice Tribe."

Flora was too stunned and occupied with trying to break away to answer their questions.

"Man, the fortress gets all the good ones," the other servant said with a cackle. "We need to come here more often! The old man is a washed up after defying King Garon, but this one is adorable! So much better than those stuck-up royal brats at the castle, right? You can't touch them without losing your head."

 _Wait…touch them?_

Flora's heart came to a stop. Her struggling intensified and she cried out loudly for help. When her voice echoed through the empty hall, she began to panic and felt her breath come in shuddering bursts.

"Want to rough her up a bit?" the larger attacker said, chilling Flora's blood as they reached up to cup her cheek. The other attacked laughed in affirmation and slinked towards her with a wicked smile.

Flora thought she heard a voice. It was distant, but it sounded as if it was calling her name. She let out another desperate cry, but heard no response. The attackers could only laugh. Slowly, their large forms began to cover her and push away all the light from the world, turning everything black.

Just before she could close her eyes, she heard a door burst open and two sets of footsteps. One set was hard from heeled shoes and the other was a soft pitter against the ground. Seconds later, the attackers were numbed when Felicia used her icy magic to freeze the two men and Corrin ran into them with all the strength she had in her body. When one of the men swatted at her, Corrin bit into the man arm like a tiny dragon and Felicia rammed and elbow into his gut, pulling her sister and the princess to safety.

Nearly frozen and definitely caught red-handed, the two scrambled away frantically away from the three girls.

Once they were gone, Felicia turned to her sister and hugged her tightly. Corrin ran to the door and checked to make sure they were gone before also flocking to Flora's side to check her for injuries.

Nearly sobbing, Felicia cupped Flora's face and warbled, "Sister! Are you okay? Oh my gods…I'm so sorry…"

Flora was stunned for a few moments, needing to take a moment to catch her breath. The young girl didn't even want to think of what might have happened if her sister and the princess hadn't come in time. Shaking, she replied, "I'm fine Felicia. Thank you."

"I'm sorry we couldn't come sooner," Corrin said immediately, smoothing down some of Flora's locks that had come loose from the vile teasing. "We came here as soon as we heard you were in trouble, but you shouldn't have been alone."

Flora blinked, recalling the events from moments prior.

"Oh, did you hear the crash?" Flora said, looking to the broken china and puddle of ruined tea on the floor. She dipped her head shamefully and said, "Forgive me. I was protecting myself and…I remember screaming…oh, I must have caused a ruckus…"

"You don't need to apologize!" Felicia said, horrified that her sister would ever think they'd be a need for anyone to forgive her. "You did the right thing! We're just glad you aren't hurt."

Flora lifted a sky-colored brow in confusion. "Wait. If you didn't hear the crash, then how did you find me?"

"We were in the garden," Corrin explained with one of her tiny hands still placed over her racing heart. She pointed out the window to the rose bushes in the yard below. "Jakob yelled at us from the dining hall that he heard you screaming. He was across the fortress and couldn't make it in time, but he heard you and called for us. We came as soon as we heard."

"It was…Jakob?" Flora asked incredulously. The girl hadn't even known he was around. "Jakob was yelling?

"Yes, he was yelling for someone to help you," Corrin said. "We crawled in the window down the hall from the garden. I think he'd still racing over here. He must have seen you getting attacked from across the courtyard and knew he couldn't get there fast enough."

Flora couldn't believe her ears. Had the faint voice she'd heard minutes before actually been Jakob yelling for help?

The girl was in disbelief. It didn't seem possible that the faint voice she thought she'd only imagined during the attack had been Jakob. Had he really heard her cried from across the fortress and immediately screamed for help, knowing he wouldn't make it on time? It seemed so out of character for the icy, complacent boy.

" _Flora!"_

She swung her head down the hall in response to the sudden pitter patter of footsteps. Someone was running towards them. Sure enough, Jakob was the culprit. He dashed toward the group and took Flora's shoulders, eyes wide as saucers and shimmering with concern.

"Flora, are you okay?" he asked with enough urgency to make his voice stutter. Flora was dumbstruck at his sudden appearance, especially considering his breathlessness and his disheveled hair from racing across the grounds. Even Felicia and Corrin were a little taken aback by his lack usual lack of poise. Nobody had ever seen Jakob so riled up before.

Flora realized his crazed response had been because of her. The girl felt a flash of heat across her cheeks and little spark in her heart she'd never felt before.

She didn't have time to mull over the possible source as Jakob suddenly pulled away sighed with relief upon seeing she wasn't injured. The boy straightened his cravat and said in as steady of a voice as he could manage, "Oh, you don't appear to be hurt. Thank goodness."

The relieved expression on his face was short-lived as a more malicious emotion flashed across his features and he turned his head in the direction the culprits had ran in. "Ugh, those _bastards!_ I'll be sure to report them to Gunter and call for their termination and punishment."

"Oh, I saw their faces," Felicia chimed in, raising a hand eagerly. "I can confirm their identities if they try to put up a fight!"

"As will I," Corrin said with a confident nod. She didn't want such disgusting and dangerous people in the fortress anyway. Plus, she was the princess. There was no way they'd get away with what they almost did to Flora. She'd use her status to make sure of that.

The young girl turned her attention back to Flora, who was still wide-eyed and trembling slightly. Corrin took the blue-haired girl's hands and cupped them softly in her own, feeling the cold clamminess. It seemed Flora was still rattled, and rightfully so.

"Flora, are you okay?" Corrin asked softly. "Do you need anything?"

"I…um…" Flora mumbled. She couldn't seem to find the words.

"Sister, I'll take you back to your room," Felicia offered quickly, easing her away from Corrin and into her own arms. Although Felicia would never say anything out loud, she knew Flora didn't harbor entirely favorable opinions of the princess, and figured it would be better for everyone if she escorted her sister to safety personally.

"Lady Corrin, would you come with me?" Jakob asked. "I'm going to talk to Gunter about those servants. It might be helpful to have you there to confirm their identities. I'll tell him he can also talk to Felicia if he needs further proof."

Corrin nodded sadly. The young girl knew the darker reason for Jakob asking her to accompany him. It was because, compared to Felicia's status as a maid and bias as Flora's sister, there was the possibility nobody would believe either sisters' account of the attack. As twisted as it was, people were more likely to believe or respond to claims by a princess instead of a servant.

"Will you two be safe?" the young princess asked as the two groups started in opposite directions. "Jakob and I could escort you."

"We'll be fine," Felicia assured with a nod. "But…um…it might be hard for me to finish my chores for the day. I mean…" she stuttered.

She was trying to find a way to stay at her sister's side for the rest of the day and keep her company without the possibility of feeling Gunter's wrath for skipping work. After all, she didn't want to leave Flora unattended.

Of course, Jakob offered to do their share of the housework and told Flora to relax. He gave Flora a surprisingly warm smile and said, "I'll do all of your work. Just relax. You'll need to be ready to by tomorrow morning."

Flora looked at Jakob with a steady gaze. Unlike previous times, she didn't frown or furrow her brow at the sight of him. "Yes, of course. Thank you Jakob."

The illusive smiled faded and Jakob's normal façade of disinterested coldness returned seamlessly.

"Thank your sister and Lady Corrin for coming to your aid," he said easily, shrugging. "I did nothing. I will make sure those other servants are punished though."

"I can help too," Corrin offered. "I'll help you do the chores. I can't do the harder stuff, but I can at least mop and polish dishes."

The maid couldn't believe that the princess, who always seemed so selfish and naïve of how her actions impacted others, was proposing to do her chores for her so she could recuperate it bed. It was equal parts surprising and uncomfortably humbling. All of a sudden, all the vicious remarks she'd made about Corrin in the past flooded back to her in an embarrassing flash and she had to bite her lip at her own words. Perhaps the princess wasn't as terrible as she thought.

"Thank you both so much," Flora said, watching the princess and butler bid her adieu and slowly vanish down the opposing hallway. For some reason, her eyes couldn't look away from their shrinking backs and fluttering locks. Something seemed different about them…or perhaps something was different about her.

At that moment, Flora's icy heart became a roaring furnace.

Her soul burned brightly with newfound hope that perhaps, although the life inside the fortress was miserable, that there was light at the end of the tunnel. She thought that a future where she and her sister could escape their fate and live a normal life was possible because good people still existed. They'd been beside her the whole time, lurking behind locked doors and prickly personalities.

Flora suddenly longed to repay their kindness, instead of simply shunning their forced and natural acts of kindness and cordiality. Their presence was like kindling that she wanted and needed to keep the fire in her heart alive even in the most blusterous of times.

However, her blazing passion was a double-edged sword.

She also knew it was all-consuming and powerful. If anyone got too close, perhaps they'd get burned or torched. Flora kept others at bay, letting only her sister into her heart. Only the most experienced and persistent people could evade the flames and frozen winds long enough to earn a place at her side. She'd thought he sister was the only one.

Now, as she watched Jakob walk away, she thought there might be room for one more.

 **-END—**

Thus Flora's crush was born. I'll discuss it more in Part 2.

Fun story time! I was watching a friend play Friday the 13th and thought I recognized one of the voices. This specific character (Chad) is always screaming in fear and yelling things. He has the lowest composure stat…he talks a lot, basically. I kept thinking that I recognized the voice and finally checked. It was Jakob's English VA.

Effie's VA is also in the game, and so are Tobin's and Mae's from Echoes. Woah. More like "Fire-day the Fate-teenth: Jason Echoes."

… _Anywaaaay_ , thanks for reading! Part 2 is coming soon to make sure for my week without updates.


	8. My Heart is a Furnace (Part 2)

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T (Suggestive themes)

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to FE Fates or any other games in the Fire Emblem franchise. This story is written purely for fun.

Author's Note: I'm back! As an apology for missing one (or two) weeks of updates, I wanted to give you guys another chapter ASAP. Thanks for being so amazing!

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **-START-**

The near-assault on Flora had left the ensemble of small children quite distressed.

While Felicia took Flora to their bedroom in the servant's quarters, Jakob and Corrin made their way to the conference room to speak to Gunter. They wanted to personally speak to the older man about the termination of the two lecherous workers.

The duo had kept a calm façade in front of the two twins. After all, they didn't want to enhance the hard-hitting trauma Flora was surely feeling by overacting. The two remained cool and composed until they were down the hall and saw the two maids exit at the opposite end of the corridor.

It was at that moment Jakob's anger exploded.

" _Damn_ those horrible men!" Jakob said once he and Corrin were further down the hall and out of earshot from the two sisters. Although Jakob had been told multiple times by Gunter to watch his language, Corrin thought his strident words were a good match for the urgency of the situation. It didn't bother her enough to elicit a reaction, especially at such a time when such biting words seemed more than appropriate.

"We'll get them to confess and make sure they're terminated," Corrin said confidently, her tone more biting than usual.

"If we hadn't been around to help, I shudder to think what they would have done," Jakob said, teeth biting into his lower lip. "We'll show them."

The young girl nodded, causing her flaxen waves to tumble about her tiny shoulders. "Yes, we will."

Jakob was silent for a few moments before casting his lavender gaze to the smaller girl. Silence spanned mere seconds before Jakob inhale sharply and said shakily, "Thank you, Lady Corrin."

Corrin blinked as one of her brows lofted quizzically over her ruby gaze. "Oh? Um…for what?"

"For helping us," he said quickly, his head bent slightly as if he was ashamed. "For helping Flora. We're only mere servants, and yet when I screamed for help, you personally ran in at Felicia's side and attacked those vile men. You, a princess, risked your life for Flora."

Corrin seemed stunned at Jakob's sudden words of praise. To the small butler's surprise, the girl puffed out a cheek in anger and reached up to gently thump her knuckles against his forehead.

"Are you saying that you didn't think I'd help because I'm a princess?" she asked, the corners of her mouth sinking to form a frown. "Jakob, we're friends! You, Flora and Felicia are _all_ special to me!"

The young boy looked a little flabbergasted at her words. Everything about her statements, from their boldness to her confidence, made his heart pound like a drum.

"As soon as I heard you cry out that Flora was in trouble, I thought my heart had stopped," she admitted, placing a hand over her chest and heaving a sigh, as if trying to bear an invisible weight crushing her shoulders. The boy also couldn't help but notice that, as she clutched the cloth of her chemise, her hand was shaking and her knuckles were white as snow. Corrin continued with a sad smile, "You three work so hard to keep me happy."

"Of course we do," Jakob replied suddenly. He swiftly took her hand into his, as if hoping the action would somehow reassure her of his words. "You were so kind to all three of us. You're a good person, Lady Corrin, so of course we strive for your happiness."

Corrin tightened her grip on Jakob's hand, her nails making small crescent marks into his bare flesh.

"I also know that none of you three are here by choice," she explained hollowly, causing Jakob's sudden vigor to falter. Regardless of his shock, she continued determinedly, "So, if I can do anything to help you guys, it's my duty as a princess and my desire as your _friend_ to do so."

For a moment, time seemed to stop for Jakob. His mind seemed to repeat her words over and over again, and he wanted nothing more than to believe her every word. Her sentiment seemed too good to be true. Part of him still thought it was.

"You…see us as friends, Lady Corrin?" Jakob asked is disbelief.

Corrin slowed her pace and said meekly, "At least…I think of you guys as friends. I really do. So, facing any danger is worth it to keep you guys safe. It's the least I can do."

The young boy felt his heart thump loudly against his chest, and the cold disbelief that had gripped him melted away.

If all she'd wanted was to be his friend, he would have felt angry and even betrayed by her selfishness. If all she saw them as was companions by default or convenient ways to pass time in the lonely fortress, the boy would have chalked her desired up as the typical needs of a noble.

However, she not only thought of them as comrades, but she wanted to help and protect them. She wasn't just their master. Corrin was their ally. Jakob had never had an ally in his life, until meeting a strange Nohrian princess locked away from society.

She didn't see him, Flora or Felicia as companions by proxy or as distractions to make the time in the fortress pass faster. As she had displayed earlier by running into the servant and even biting one of them on the arm, she was ready to fight for them without fearing the consequence. She was even accompanying Jakob on an errand to have the two servants banished which, if they were employees of King Garon, could get her into deep trouble with her father.

Corrin saw them as her friends and equals.

That was the difference that made Jakob's cold heart roar to life again, like a furnace slowly heating up in the dead of winter. Finally, when heat and light were so desperately needed in their lives, Corrin had been the flint to ignite the first flame that even Jakob couldn't kindle within himself.

"Also, Jakob, are you going to be okay doing all that housework?"

"Huh?' he asked, still lost in his daydreams when she had pierced them with her innocent words. "Oh, that's right, the extra chores. Don't worry yourself, Lady Corrin. I'll find a way to complete them all."

The sun was already setting, and there was still so much to do. It would be nearly impossible for Jakob to finish all their tasks in a timely and orderly fashion.

"It's a trifling matter compared to what Flore went through," Jakob continued plainly. "It'll be tough, sure, but it can't be avoided."

The young princess felt silly for bringing up something as trivial as housework, but she knew that Jakob would literally avoid sleeping to finish all the tasks at hand. The boy was nothing if not persistent when it came to everything, especially housework.

He already didn't have much free time, and if it hadn't been for him, she and Felicia might have responded to Flora's cried too late.

"Let me help you…" she said. Before Jakob could object, she stared at him levelly and placed a finger over his lips to silence the excuses already manifesting inside him. "Please. I want to help you."

The boy pursed his lips gave the young lady a level stare. "My lady, I don't feel comfortable having you help me. It' a sweet gesture, but please, you needn't worry yourself about that. Please focus on spending time with Flora."

"I will absolutely visit her often," Corrin said with a nod. "I'll even visit after we meet with Gunter, but I can do that and still help you out."

Corrin saw the glint of skepticism in Jakob's eye and commented quickly, "After all, what else do I have to do? I have a few lessons tomorrow, and then I spend the rest of the day sitting in my room. It would honestly be a pleasure to spend my time productively, especially if it takes a load off of you, Flora and Felicia."

"It could take a while," he warned, crossing him arms over his chest hesitantly. He still seemed incredibly wary of accepting her generous offer. "It might take us until dawn."

"Then we'll watch the sunrise together," she quipped with a grin. "I've never seen one before."

Jakob knew just by the look on his lady's face that she wasn't going to stop pressing until she got what she wanted. Jakob might have only worked with her for a few years, but he already knew he well enough to know when he lost a battle of wits with her, which was more often than he liked to admit.

With a soft smile, he relented and said, "If you truly with to help, the pleasure would be all mine, Lady Corrin."

The girl jumped victoriously, throwing her arms over her head and spinning in circles. Corrin twirled into Jakob's arms and hugged him tightly, spinning him a few times in the process. The boy fumbled after her, far less graceful than the princess by many measures. Still, his clumsiness didn't seem to both Corrin in the slightest as she sang her gratefulness to him.

Just before he could slink away from her arms and escape the precious moment, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

Before he could even process the action, she had pulled back and was darting down the hall mischievously in the direction of the conference room. She called back over her shoulder, "You better hurry up, or Gunter will scold you for being late! Then we'll have to do even more chores!"

With a bright red face, Jakob frantically raced after the young princess. Although he was pleading with her the entire time to not lift a finger to help, the boy also couldn't resist laughing the entire way.

She had kissed him. Princess Corrin, the fair-haired and crimson-eyed little girl that seemed more prisoner than noble, had pressed her lips against his cheek and given him the first kiss he'd ever received. Not even his parents had shown him such affection in his youth. Now, the boy's heart was practically singing.

Not only that, but it seemed she would be helping with an entire evening's work of cleaning. For once, Jakob wouldn't object if Gunter assigned him more work.

The two were so busy running towards the conference room that neither noticed a tiny shadow lurking around the corner and just down the hall. The shadow was a few inches shorter than Jakob and had two little pigtails that seemed to droop with sadness as the shadow sank to its knees.

Flora's fingers gripped the stone of the wall as she watched Jakob and Corrin move down the hall. Even from down the hall, she could see the young boy's face still red from Corrin's kiss.

The young girl shut her eyes and pressed her head against the cool stone of the wall. She felt feverish and weak. The girl thought she must still be in shock, although such a simple excuse didn't seem to explain her feelings.

A few feet away, Felicia emerged from a door frantically. She was swinging her head from left to right, as if seeking someone. When her gaze landed on Flora, she stopped and approached her slightly older sister with cautious steps. The pink-haired girl didn't need any context of the situation and merely went to her sister's side to offer her a hand.

"Big sister, I um…" Felicia stammered, not sure what to say. "Are you okay?"

Flora laughed softly and stood on her own, waving away her sister's hand.

"I'm fine," she replied with unconvincing calmness. "Just fine. I was just going to catch up with Lady Corrin and offer my assistance in retelling the events to Gunter. However, it seems that she'll be fine with Jakob's help."

"But, Flora…" Felicia said, fumbling over her words again despite her real concern. "You don't seem fine."

"I promise, Felicia, I'm really okay" the blue-haired girl maid with a nod. She closed her dark eyes and muttered under her breath. "I should be resting, after all. I'm sure Lady Corrin can handle the situation fine on her own."

After all, it wasn't the end of the world if Corrin and Jakob bonded. After all, they were good friends and Flora knew they certainly seemed to have a lot on common. Even if it made flora a little jealous, she wasn't about to throw a fit over it. That would be childish, after all. The girl decided to suppress her doubts for the moment and simply return to bed.

 _Even if it's not the end of the world,_ Flora thought as she took her sister's hand and followed her down the hall, taking one last look over her shoulder to see Jakob and Corrin racing down the hall and seeing their backs slowly become smaller, _then how come it feels like it?_

 **-END-**

Poor Flora.

I hope you guys enjoyed this update!

Also, I know I haven't mentioned Azura yet, although she would definitely be alive by this point in the story. I definitely plan to add her! Since this is a Conquest-verse story, it just didn't seem to make sense to mention Arete or show Azura yet. I haven't forgotten her! I promise!

Thank you guys so much for all your patience and support, and I will see you all soon in the next update!


	9. A Dragon Joins the Fray

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of any part of the Fire Emblem franchise, including the plot and characters of FE: Fates.

Author's Note: Welcome back! I hope you're all heaving a great summer and a great weekend. If not, I hope your day gets brighter soon or that your luck turns around. If you're here to read this chapter and that helps you in any way, that's all the better. I hope you all enjoy!

It's time to introduce Lilith.

 **-START-**

It was official. Corrin was behaving strangely.

Felicia was the first to notice, oddly enough. While everyone else in the fortress pinned the pink-haired maid as a dunce because of her klutziness and her affinity to breaking dishes, the young girl was much more astute than she seemed when it came to noticing oddities with her mistress. After all, the young girl was very familiar with Corrin and had already spent a couple years serving her. Felicia helped her with everything from bathing to changing clothes. In exchange, Corrin helped her hide Felicia mistakes from the watchful eyes of Gunter, either by hiding pieces of broken china in potted plants or by keeping the older man distracted while Felicia chilled a smoking dish of charred food in the kitchen that she had failed to take off the cooking fire quick enough.

They were good friends who trusted each other. The pink-haired maid knew it would be improper for her to overstep her boundaries and be anything more than a good friend to Corrin, but Felicia liked to believe she and Corrin were close comrades. Hell, Corrin had even said in the past that she saw the three of them as allies and not mere placeholders for her siblings.

So, why was she hiding something from them? Plus, it was so painfully obvious that Felicia was stunned that neither Flora nor Jakob seemed to notice. Perhaps they were too swamped with work.

The young princess had definitely been creeping around the citadel more suspiciously than usual. Plus, she saw Corrin sneak trips to the usually vacant garden and even saw the girl sneak plants and herbs back to her room. Felicia had never seen Corrin do such odd tasks before.

Of course, the girl decided to surprise Corrin in her bedroom one day with tea and hopefully catch her in the act of…. _whatever_ she was doing in her spare time.

With a tray of rose-flavored tea and slightly burned biscotti balanced on a silver tray, Felicia slowly made her way to her lady's chamber. It was a more precarious walk than she imagined thanks to the new uniforms the citadel's staff members were expected to wear. Felicia and Flora had been given ornate black dresses with feathered trim, high collars and even heeled ankle boots to walk around in.

Apparently, now that she, Flora and Jakob were getting older and cementing their place as royal servants, their uniforms were updated to match their prestige status.

While Flora found the garb incredibly impractical and excessive for tasks like cooking or cleaning, Felicia didn't have a problem with the dresses, but rather the shoes. The girl was already clumsy enough without any additional inches added onto her height.

Being extra careful to not fall, Felicia knocked on her lady's door and announced her presence.

Just as she expected, she heard Corrin gasp from the other side of the door, and at least ten seconds of silence followed before the young princess beckoned her friend inside.

Felicia swung open the heavy door and scanned the room for her friend, finally spying her sitting on her rock-hard bed in the corner of the room. It was an odd place to sit, given that Corrin usually took tea at her table or used her small desk for writing letters or leading.

"Um…Lady Corrin?" Felicia asked as she slowly walked into the room and sat the tray down. "I've brought tea. I thought you might be thirsty."

"Oh, how lovely," Corrin said vaguely as she gestured to the table. "Um, I'll take it over there. Please give me a moment."

Felicia nodded slowly while she turned her back to put Corrin's usual amount of sugar and cream into the cup. All the while, she heard the girl rustle about in a commotion that almost sounded like her pulling back the bedsheets.

Then, out of nowhere, she heard a loud _'meep!'_ followed by an almost animalistic growl.

By the time Felicia swirled around, Corrin had already scooped up the source of the weird sounds and appeared to be hiding something behind her back. After being caught in her less than subtle act, Corrin shifted nervously under Felicia's curious gaze.

"Lady Corrin, what's behind your back?" Felicia finally asked. When the young princess averted her gaze hesitantly, Felicia maintained a positive attitude and urged her on in a chipper tone. "I won't tell. Promise! Is it an animal?"

The small princess hesitated only a moment before finally sighing. She relented and slowly brought the creature out from its hiding spot behind her back. Corrin said slowly, as if anticipating a negative reaction from Felicia, "Um…it's a bird. At least, I think it's a bird?"

The pink-haired maid's taupe eyes became wide as saucers as she looked down at the small creature in her lady's hand. Whatever it was, even Felicia knew at a simple glance that what her mistress held so tenderly was not an injured bird. It looked more like some kind of reptile, almost like a small dragon from the storybooks they read in Book Club long ago.

The small creature was curled up in a fetal position in Corrin's calloused hands, with hard scales that started as an oceanic blue hue and slowly changed to a blood red pattern. Its eyes were closed one second, but when they opened, the yellow orbs were as large and gold as the shiniest coins Felicia could imagine. Two black, slit pupils stared right at the flustered maid, narrowing further as the being seemed to sense her apprehension.

At the sight of the beast, Felicia had to smother a chilled scream.

"L-Lady Corrin," she stammered, debating whether to snatch the creature from Corrin hands and toss it out the window or run from the room to keep from fainting at the sight. "That's not a bird, milady! That's a monster! You…see that right? It's like a dragon!"

"Not so loud," Corrin hissed in a hushed tone. While the young princess ran to the door to see if any other staff members had heard Felicia's scream, the maid wobbled unsteadily on her two thin legs and had to fight against the urge to pass out. Sensing her friend's weakness, Corrin placed the creature on the bed and went to gently guide Felicia into a chair before she could tumble onto the floor.

"Felicia, it's not dangerous," Corrin said with a tiny shrug as the maid gave her an incredulous, wide-eyed look. "Whatever it is, I saw it in the garden from my window. I went out, and it looked like a tiny bird with an injured wing. I mean, what else can it be?"

 _It's definitely not a bird_ , Felicia was tempted to blurt out.

Just when Corrin thought she'd escaped the heightened senses of her other comrades, her hopes were dashed when Flora and Jakob emerged from the end of the hall and quickly made their way to Corrin's bedroom. Flora was the first to rush in and, par for the course, made a beeline for her sister. The young maid's urgency only increased when she saw how pale her little sister's face was.

"Felicia, we heard you scream," Flora said, kneeling before her Felicia and taking her face in her cold hands. "What happened?"

Jakob surveyed the room with his lilac eyes until they fell upon a deflated looking Corrin. Not only did the young princess catch his attention, but so did the brightly-colored creature she held in her hands. While Flora cooed over Felicia, Jakob approached Corrin and attempted to extend a hand to open her firm grasp.

Although hesitant at first, Corrin knew it wasn't fair to keep her friends in the dark, especially after scaring Felicia. After all, she couldn't deny that the pink-haired girl was right. Although she'd initially pegged the strange creature as a bird, the possibility of the scenario being true was becoming less likely the more she looked at the beast's coppery eyes and fruit-colored scales.

When she unfolded her fingers to reveal the small dragon nestled between her palms, even Jakob looked taken aback at the strange sight.

"Lady Corrin, what in the world…?" he asked, shaking his head at the creature before clearly his throat in a failed attempt to alleviate the surprise in his voice. "Um…with all due respect, my lady, where did you find this strange creature?"

With a sigh, Corrin told her friend, "I saw it from my bedroom window a few days ago. I say it lying in the garden all alone one morning after dawn. I thought it was dead, but when I went out there to bury it, it started making sounds and stirring. When it opened its eyes…I didn't have the heart to just leave her alone!"

"Leave _her_ alone?" Flora asked skeptically. "Lady Corrin, this is…"

"I know, I know."

Having captured Felicia and Flora's attention, the girl continued guiltily, "I…stole food and herbs from the kitchen and garden to feed her. I'm so sorry. I made sure to take as little as possible, and used my own food for the rest of what she needed to eat. I thought I could nurse her back to health in a day or two, but it took longer than I expected. I don't know what she is, but I can't just abandon her."

Flora looked skeptical while Felicia looked slightly more awestruck before. Corrin was mostly concerned with Jakob's expression, which remained completely unreadable.

Finally, Jakob lifted a brow at her and smiled softly. Above all else, he looked oddly complacent and okay with the scenario. The twins were stunned when he shrugged off the matter like a mere accident.

"So you stole few morsels of grain and meat here and there," he said easily. "That's not so bad. Plus, it looks like your nursing worked. She's still alive, after all."

"Not you too Jakob," Flora groaned lowly, one of her hands flying to her forehead to rub her throbbing temple. A terrible headache was surely not far along, as such was the case after Corrin's antics. With a sigh of resignation, Flora relented with a heavy sigh.

"Do what you'd like," she said, forcing indifference with an obvious half-smile. "I have some chores to finish, milady. If you'll excuse me, I'll take my leave now."

"Oh, of course," Corrin said, almost shocked Flora would insist such a high level of formality. "I'm sorry to bother you, Flora. I promise I'll release her tonight. Her wing seems better."

"Please take your time, milady."

As Flora left the chamber, Felicia quickly followed behind her sister. Whether it was to escape the awkward tension or to get back to her own work remained a mystery, and Corrin didn't feel like it was an appropriate thing to ask. The white-haired girl sighed and received an inquiring look for the last person in the room with her.

"Flora can be brisk, Lady Corrin," Jakob said after the twins had departed. "It was wrong to keep the little creature a secret, but I understand your logic. I'm sure Flora isn't as angry as she seemed just now."

"Do you think so?"

The young princess thought that they had grown somewhat closer since Flora had nearly been attacked by two royal servants, but she realized it was naïve to think such a thing. After all, Corrin knew she was technically in the wrong and had indeed broken the rules. It made sense for Flora to be aggravated, as any wrongs committed by Corrin resulted in consequences on her retainers. Besides, Flora didn't owe her undying affection for saving her life from an assault. She'd thanked her, and although Corrin ultimately desired friendship, she knew that her simple words would be enough at the end of the day.

"I just wish she and I could be…"

Corrin opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a small flapping sound. She looked to the edge of the window to see the multi-colored beast perched on the ledge with his face pointed to the skies. With an enthusiastic chirp, it leaped from the stone surface and shakily hovered in the air.

After a few seconds, the beast whirled around the room with a giddy cry and zoomed out the window.

Stunned by the creature's recovery, Corrin watched her fly with a mixture of sadness and awe warring for dominance in her eyes. The princess and butler raced to the window and were relieved beyond words to see her soaring high above the clouds. Against the fiery sky, her silhouette almost looked like a dragon's.

"My word," Jakob said in astonishment. "You really did it, Lady Corrin."

The girl watched the tiny creature carefully to make sure she didn't falter. Until the small beast was out of sight, Corrin watched her small friend glide through the air until she was merely a speck in the distance.

 _It's as if she heard and understood our conversation_ , Corrin thought incredulously.

"Do you think I'll see her again, Jakob?"

The young boy stood a few inches behind his princes, his eyes focused skyward as the tiny beast fluttered away, looking as noble as a tiny dragon. Betraying his usual sense of stoniness, the silver-haired boy smiled at the sight.

"I believe you will, my lady."

Corrin turned and gave him a radiant smile that rivaled the beauty of the sunset. "Oh, Jakob! Do you really think so?"

"I do," he admitted with a blush. "I have a feeling."

It was barely a few days later that the Northern Fortress received a new employee. The assignment was even a surprise to Gunter, who hadn't heard anything from King Garon or any other Nohrian officials regarding the transfer of another servant to the fortress.

Similarly to Jakob, the young girl simply showed up as if abandoned by her family. As short as Nohr was on resources, she was put to work without much argument.

While the strange girl's youth and optimism were enough to get people talking, there was something else about her that caught the attention of everyone else in the citadel. The young girl's hair was long and braided behind a white bonnet, the color of her silken strands starting with a shade inky midnight and gradually changing to a bright crimson.

The first day Princess Corrin met the girl, the first thing she remembered after seeing her distinct hair were the shimmering scales of the tiny bird she'd saved and released mere days ago.

"It's wonderful to finally meet you, milady," the girl said, lifting the hem of her blue dress and bowing deeply. "My name is Lilith, and…um, I look forward to serving you!"

Unbeknownst to Corrin, the new stable girl wasn't just repaying a former debt, but would also serve as Corrin's only blood relative within the fortress for years to come.

 **-END-**

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

This was the last of the Child Era chapters. Next time, we go forward a few years. All the Nohrian siblings have been born and all the servants of the royal fortress have been (unwillingly) recruited. As Corrin grows older and her father seems to flip further away from sanity, the girl begins to doubt her kingdom's policies more and more.

See you soon!


	10. Jakob's Birthday

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of any part of the Fire Emblem franchise, including the plot and characters of FE: Fates.

Author's Note: This is a short little chapter to bridge the gap between Corrin and Jakob's child years and teenage years. I hope you enjoy!

 **-START-**

The fortress was terribly cold in winter. Even after Corrin's thirteen years in the fortress, the novelty of seasonal snow and ice was never appreciated and almost always cursed by Nohrians.

There weren't many saving graces that redeemed how deathly cold and miserable life was inside the citadel during winter. The fortress was surrounded only by rocky cliffs with very few trees to use for firewood even during the lushest season, which was exceptionally pitiful in Nohr. In addition to a lack of fuel for the fireplaces, the garden produced a scare amount of food and the fortress relied on the fall harvest to carry the staff members and the singular princess through the icy months. In the most trying times, Gunther and other knights led a small excursion towards the Nohrian capital to buy food from merchants with minimal funds to bring back to the fortress.

Servants initially screamed about the terrible treatment, but had since become numb to the neglect from the increasingly demented King Garon. Cries of pain and rebellion often died out by the first snowfall as anger gave way to hopelessness. It was a yearly ritual, from what Corrin observed.

While she hardly enjoyed the cold days inside the stone prison, she did have one thing to celebrate.

"Hey, what do you guys want to do for Jakob's birthday?"

Corrin had popped the sudden question to Felicia and Flora while helping the twins fold laundry in the dimly lit washroom. Usually the other staff members dissuaded the princess from helping with chores due to fear of royal backlash should Garon catch wind of their laziness. However, due to bouts of commonplace neglect, the staff had grown soft and complacent in their reinforcement of the rules. If the king didn't care, why should they?

Corrin took advantage of the indifference in the best way possible by helping her dearest friends with chores. Plus, it was way easier to fold bedsheets with three people than just two, especially with shorter arms.

"Jakob's birthday?" Flora asked with wide eyes. Jealousy tinged her prim voice as she followed up with the question, "Wait, _you_ know when it is?"

"Woah, he's never told us!" Felicia said in disbelief, hands flying to her 'O' shaped mouth. "We ask him about it every year and he always brushes us off. How did you find out?"

It had been a simple process. Corrin explained that she had indeed asked Jakob when his birthday was multiple times in the prior years, but he always found a way to change the subject as if the occasion wasn't noteworthy enough for conversation. In the end, the solution had been so terribly simple and oddly unsettling.

She'd ordered him to tell her.

Finally, he'd relented.

He'd said in reply to her command, "If you truly wish to know, I'll tell you. Just please keep it a secret, okay? I dislike fuss about such trivial things."

She didn't like abusing the power she apparently held over him despite a close friendship she thought deserved more than a power-play, but apparently the semi-unethical tactic was enough to persuade him despite Corrin's discomfort. She made a secret promise that it would all pay off.

"It's the third of December," she told the twins. "Two days from now."

"It's really close," Flora said, lifting a hand to her jaw and closing her eyes in contemplation. "I wonder what we could plan in such a short amount of time."

Corrin's eyes lit up. "Does that mean you'll help?"

The blue-haired maid hesitated for only a second before replying with a tiny smile, "Of course. I can't speak for my sister, but I'd be happy to help plan a modest party. I'm sure we can at least have some tea and cake."

Corrin couldn't rush into Flora's arms fast enough. Although she could have guessed the two maids and friends of Jakob to help a little bit, especially since Felicia admitted trying to get Jakob confess his birthday's date in the past, she never expected such an immediate reply. Flora patted the young teen's back.

"I'll help too!" Felicia volunteered with a raised hand. "I'm no good at cooking, but I'll decorate any room you need me too."

"How?" Flora asked incredulously. "We've never thrown a large party before. How can we possibly dress a room properly?"

"Oh, we have drawers of lace and ribbons for sewing and last-minute alterations," Felicia said, surprising both Corrin and Flora. Neither had any idea that such an area existed, but apparently the location was common knowledge to the pink-haired teen. "Maids and butlers always have to look professional, and we also use it for repairing linens before visits from knights or even royal retainers. I mean, we've never had to use it…but it's there!"

Corrin was in awe of her friends' devotion and extended an arm to lasso Felicia into the already tight embrace she had with Flora. "Thank you so much! You guys are the best!"

"Of course," Flora began in a teasing tone as she pinched Corrin cheek, "You'll have to be the one to tattle to him about how we know his birthday now. He didn't want to tell us for some reason, so you'll have to take the blame, milady."

Despite Flora's teasing tone, Corrin blinked and felt a small lump form in her throat that she had to force down with a swallow. Although Jakob was her closest friend, the mere idea of his wrath intimidated even her. Plus, her friend's words rang true. It was the first time the girl had even broken a promise with him.

"Haha…" Corrin chuckled half-heartedly, the actual betrayal of what she'd done not lost on her. "We'll just have to make sure this party is amazing then."

* * *

The young teen smothered a tiny sneeze as he stood in the doorway of the kitchen. Jakob had been on his way to grab some refreshments for Corrin before being caught off guard by the sudden impulse.

"Haha, someone must be talking about you," Gunther teased as he walked past the kitchen. "Perhaps it's Lady Corrin. You were no doubt getting treats for her, correct? How many times is that today?"

"Leave me alone, old man," Jakob replied apathetically as he marched formally to the citadel's pantry and swung open the door. As expected, the variety of edible items to choose from was dwindling due to the lack of produce from the neighboring farms.

The teen solved the problem quickly by spotting some ingredients for making cookies. While he was able to find a partial bag of flour and enough salt for a small batch, he found that some key ingredients had diminished in quantity since he last visited the kitchen. It was odd since most of the servants stayed out of the kitchen between meals.

"I thought the old man went shopping," the teen said as he rubbed his jaw and stared at the emptied pantry. Seconds later, he shrugged it off and starting measuring the contents to make a small batch of cookies, kicking the pantry door shut in the process. "Sod it all, I have what I need. I'll bother him about it later."

As the teen went about combining the proper ingredients and mixing the correct amount of each, his mind wandered freely. The teen made cookies and other treats so often that he could basically bake on autopilot. Compared to his early days in the fortress when he couldn't even light a match correctly, he had to admit he was proud of how much his skills had improved from all his hard work. While his balled fists kneaded the soft dough, his eyes danced across the room until they landed on a flash of white outside the small kitchen window. Beyond the frosted glass the usually barren landscape was a covered in a blanket of gray. Flurries of snow were dancing from the heavens and descending onto the cracked earth.

It was the first snowfall. It was sort of a yearly tradition on Nohr that people either enjoyed the ambiance of or despised due to the dropping temperatures. It was a miserable occasion for those in the fortress, but for Jakob, it was also a moment of nostalgia. It reminded him of happy times every year when Felicia and Flora would race outside at the soonest opportunity and play in the snow. He imagined they liked to pretend, even for a short time, that they were home in the Ice Tribe.

Every year, he also chastised Lady Corrin for running through the snow without shoes. The white-haired boy smiled as he thought of her.

The first snowfall was a yearly occurrence that always seemed to land close to his birthday. However, he vividly recalled one snowless birthday in Nohr before arriving at the fortress.

Jakob shut his eyes and recalled the last birthday he could remember with his biological family.

* * *

"I gave birth to a curse!" the noblewoman screamed, her face in her hands as she paced the foyer in a decrepit mansion. "A damn, rotten _curse_ of a child!"

A young boy with short white hair watched with wide eyes from afar as his mother navigated the soiled room like a puppet on uneven strings. She banged her bruised fists against the wall and jerked around blindly, as if possessed. The motions were immediately recognizable to the boy, who was used to seeing his mother in fits of hysterics.

"Mother…?" he called timidly. She didn't hear him over the sounds of her tantrum.

The boy observed an opened letter on a nearby table. By now, he recognized the seal and writing on the transcript as a summons from the Nohrian royal guard and magistrate. Funds had been tight in the household lately since the boy's father had lost his job after a violent lash against an employee. It was time to pay dues. In addition to charges of assault and alcoholism, the boy had no doubt the family was also struggling to pay for basic amenities or keep up with the costs of their mansion. Their servants had vanished and the state of the house was one of massive disrepair. The boy slept in a cot in the basement because the second floor was too unsteady and rickety for even a child's footsteps.

"Mother…?" the boy called again, finally stepping out from his hiding place. He asked in a lightly accented voice, "Can I do anything to help?"

The woman reared her head in the child's direction and raised a hand to strike him across the face. The blow sent his fragile body against the unstable wall of the parlor. Jakob's shoulder slammed into the molding of the floor with a loud crash that made his whole skeleton rattle. Upon trying to move, he saw a smear of red against his linen shirt where a jagged piece of wood had pierced his white skin. The terrified child bit his lip to smother a pitiful sob of horror at the sight of his own blood.

"You're only useful for one thing," she woman mumbled lowly. Jakob looked up at his mother, trying desperately to shrink into the wall. The boy could only look up at her with a helpless expression, hoping sh'ed show mercy. Due to how her matted hair hung in her face, the boy couldn't tell if the cracks in her voice were from stress or tears in her eyes. Without another word, the woman turned away and left the house, leaving a young and distraught Jakob wide-eyed and injured in the corner of the dark hall.

The next day, the boy was dumped on the steps of the Northern Fortress.

* * *

"They never mentioned my birthday, but I suppose that's fine," he said indignantly as he balanced a tray of shortbread cookies on a gold-trimmed saucer. He lifted the tray effortlessly with his right arm, remembering the old injury on his shoulder that had long since healed into a whitish scar.

"They abandoned me as a gift for their own selfish desires, but it ended up being the best present they could have ever given me."

It wasn't as if he didn't enjoy his birthday. It was often a day that she spent alone and independent of others. It was and remained a symbolic release from the chains of his former life, even if he was still bound to servitude.

Jakob didn't confide his birthday in others for a much more complex reason than he liked to let on. While he detested unnecessary fuss and definitely didn't want his mistress to feel obligated in giving him any kind of celebration for something as paltry as his birthday, it was only a half-truth.

The teen was afraid that nobody else would understand the complexity and symbolism of the usually joyous day. Jakob didn't celebrate his actual birth, but the beginning of his new life away from his family. It was a celebration of independence, not family and approaching adulthood. Jakob preferred to celebrate his metaphorical birth alone as proof of his newfound strength and independence.

It was an odd concept to understand, but his greatest horror was that he would confide his reasoning in someone only to have it shot down and ruined.

It was a big reason he'd refused to tell Felicia and Flora, but had given in to Corrin. It was more than the fact that she seemed to order him, which she never did. The princess never ordered her servant to do anything personal for her against their will, so it was easy to suspect that she had some kind of plans for him. Out of everyone, he trusted Corrin the most to understand.

After all, she technically had a past worse than his. While Felicia and Flora were hostages and Jakob was abandoned to fulfill a financial debt, Corrin had no memories of a good or bad childhood. The young teen had absolutely nothing to reflect on or any experiences to recall fondly or grow from.

To Jakob, that was a worse fate.

Corrin had his respect, trust, and empathy. It wasn't that he didn't care for Felicia and Flora, but lately, he seemed to have much more respect for the young princess than he did as a child. The teen wasn't sure why or when it had happened, but his original resentment of her had transformed into some unnamed emotion that he had trouble pinning a name to.

However, Jakob being Jakob, he usually thought about the matter for no more than a few minutes before brushing it off and getting back to work. Through all his birthdays, one thing he could remain thankful for was his constant ability to relax when working.

If nothing else, that was a gift to be thankful for.

* * *

The teen cleared his throat before knocking on the princess's door. He announced in a clear voice, "My lady? It's me. I've brought some hot tea and cookies."

No reply came. Considering Corrin's extroverted nature and fondness for immediately responding when called to, it was definitely an odd occurrence. One of Jakob's moonlight-colored brows lofted in confusion and he knocked again. The second time he called for her, he also received no reply.

"Lady Corrin?"

Now more nervous than confused, Jakob knocked on the door one last time before slowly opening it inch by inch.

In a flash of color, a popping sound filled his ears as a barrage of confetti and glitter erupted from two paper cones held by Felicia and Flora. The twins were standing on either side of the doorway, giggling at the surprised expression on Jakob's usually composed face. Across the room, Corrin stood beneath a homemade sign that read in colorful script, 'Happy birthday!'

The young princess smiled at the teen and raised her arms in the air to happily proclaim, "Ah, Jakob! _Happy birthdaaaay to yooou!_ "

The salutation was sang out and exaggerated by Corrin who, despite not having a natural singing voice, managed the song with enough gusto that Jakob hardly noticed. He was still so shocked from the surprise that he seemed to be processing the scene long after Corrin finished her amateur musical number.

"Wow, you didn't even drop the tray," Felicia said in amazement as she took the weight from Jakob's hands and Corrin guided a still stunned butler to a seat at a table placed in the center of the room. She pulled out a chair beckoned him to sit. Corrin took a seat beside him, anxiously awaiting Jakob to comment on the surprise.

"Leave it to Jakob to bring refreshments to his own party," Flora commented playfully as she passed out some cups and masterfully took the kettle into her nimble hands to pour the fragrant liquid for the small crowd.

"How did you know?" Jakob finally asked as Flora passed him a cup of tea. She also passed him a slice of plain vanilla cake with a small amount of frosting decorating the sides. The mystery of the vanished baking ingredients was solved, at least.

Before either of the maids could speak, Corrin took Jakob's hand and spoke up.

"I did," Corrin admitted. "I wanted to throw you a party this year and ended up telling Felicia and Flora. I'm sorry. I know you said you didn't want me to tell anyone."

Jakob was quiet for a moment. Finally, after a few seconds of moving his eyes around the room and pursing his lips nervously, he raised his lavender gaze to Corrin's. "Does the old man know?"

"You mean Gunther?" the princess asked with a tilt of the head. "Um, no. I didn't tell him. I only blabbed to Felicia and Flora because…well…we're all close. We're like family, and you should celebrate birthdays with people you care about."

Again, she was perfectly honest in admitting she'd broken a promise and wronged him. He'd placed his trust in her, and although she'd had good intentions, she'd voided the conditions that they'd agreed upon.

The princess was about to apologize again, but was silenced by the illusive sight of Jakob's stunning smile. Corrin was instantly overjoyed upon seeing her friend's smile evolve into laughter. The usually prim and proper Jakob was laughing joyfully by her side. The teen thought her heart would burst from the tender sight.

Corrin couldn't resist the urge to pull her silver-haired friend into her arms. It was a definite breach of the thin line that existed between master and servant, but neither cared. She was so overwhelmed by seeing her friend smile so radiantly that couldn't resist pulling his amazing smile even closer.

Against all odds, Jakob actually returned her embrace thankfully and pressed his cheek against her warm shoulder. Felicia and Flora looked on with wonder and quiet awkwardness respectfully.

"Jakob…" Corrin said, tightly circling his arms around his shoulder. It was a chaste gesture, but the closeness brought Corrin an emotion she'd never felt in all the previous times they hugged before. This time, their closeness felt _different._

"You saw right through me," Jakob whispered against her collar, almost sounding tearful despite his joy. Her old taffeta dress muffled his words just enough. "I'm glad."

"Huh?" Corrin asked, looking down at her friend as he pulled away from her. "What was that? I couldn't hear you."

There were so many things he wanted to say.

 _Corrin, you did break your promise, but it was to bring me happiness I had no idea I even wanted. You, Felicia and Flora…are my new family. I didn't realize it before, but now, I feel like an idiot._

"Nothing," the butler said, shaking his hand and squeezing Corrin's hand. Despite the chill outside, Jakob's icy eyes shone with warmth and kindness. "Thank you, Lady Corrin."

The sound of her name on his tongue made her cheeks turn a shade of light pink. "You're more than welcome."

The teens all grabbed their china cups filled with Jakob's notoriously delicious tea and toasted to the occasion. The liquid was still piping hot from when Jakob made it in the kitchen, and the cookies paired nicely with the cake.

"Now, the real question is…who baked the cake?" Jakob asked, pointing to the dessert and eyeing Felicia suspiciously. In response to his inquiry, Felicia puffed out a cheek in mock anger and even Flora wasn't immune to a bout of laughter at her lovable sister's expense.

"Lady Corrin and I made the cake," Flora clarified as she daintily lifted the rim of the cup to her pink lips. "Felicia was in charge of decorations."

"They're lovely," Jakob remarked as he plucked a few spare pieces of confetti from his neatly tied hair. After years of growing it out, his hair was a few inches down his back.

"I made some tea, but I messed up and ripped one of the sachets," Corrin said, gesturing to an abandoned pot of tea in the corner of the room. Jakob hadn't even noticed it until the princess pointed it out. "I tasted it and, trust me, it _wasn't_ good. Yours is way better!"

"Perhaps one day I can teach you how to make a pot of tea?" Jakob proposed, giving her a kind smile.

"Really?" The princess was almost too distracted by boom of her heart in her chest to immediately reply. "I…would love that!"

 **-END-**

I actually started a chapter on Corrin's sixteenth birthday first, and just realized it was too far of a jump between child and mid-teens. I also thought it would be interesting to glimpse into Jakob's past a bit.

I hope you enjoyed!


	11. Future Consequences

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I don't own the plot or characters of FE Fates, and claim no ownership of anything in the Fire Emblem series.

Author's Note: It's time for a break from the fortress. This time we'll be flashing forward quite a bit. **Spoilers for the endgame of Conquest.**

Enjoy!

 **-START-**

It all happened so fast. An arrow was loosed and soared across the Hoshidan throne room with ease. Upon landing, it shattered Corrin's Yato and sent the woman flying back a few feet from the brute force of the otherworldly blow.

All of Corrin's siblings and family members gasped in fear at the grisly sight of their little sister being struck so violently. Her Yato, which they'd all worked so hard to empower with their familial bonds of trust throughout their long journey, was an ocean of shards across the throne room. A wave of horror, thick like syrup, washed over the room and smothered whatever gleam of hope the team had after defeating King Garon.

Everyone was mortified at the sight, but three people were especially horrified at the princess's death…her husband and children.

"Mama, no!" Kana screamed, his voice cracking violently as sobs gripped his throat. He shoved his way to the front of the troop and was at Corrin's side seconds later on wobbly knees. The boy used his kerchief to wipe away what blood he could and then tried to shake her awake, like she had merely fallen asleep in her bed.

"No, Mama…" Kana sobbed, grabbing his mother's shoulders and shaking them viciously. The boy's tears scattered across the woman's blouse, turning the dark blue fabric almost black everywhere the wetness landed. "Please come back! I'll be a good boy, I promise…!"

The silver-haired child remembered the last time he'd shaken his mother awake. It was a few weeks ago, when spring had come and the season's best flowers were in full bloom. Upon seeing the morning dew on a sea of rainbow petals surrounding the astral castle, he'd raced to his parents' bedroom to wake them.

He believed somehow her eyes would flutter open like they always did. Then she'd look at him and say in a gentle and loving voice, "Good morning, Kana."

The woman always woke up and greeted him with a loving embrace.

This time, such was not the case.

When Corrin's eyes failed to flutter open like usual, the boy screamed in agony and sobbed against her chest. Wishes and prayers for his mother to wake up were almost inaudible as the boy choked on garbled sobs and moans.

Kana's father ran up to the boy and pulled him into a hug to prevent him from hysterically gripping and tugging at his mother. Kana turned to cry into his father's shoulder while he bent down and examined his wife's white, lifeless face.

"Corrin, please…" the man begged, his fingers caressing the lukewarm flesh that was moments away from becoming frigid, "We've come so far. I can't lose you here! I _refuse_ to lose you here!

The woman was silent as a ghost.

Face twisting into agony, the man was only brought back to reality by the sound of his son's scream as another arrow from Takumi's bow came careening towards them. The butler was just fast enough to dodge the blow, his son tucked firmly in his arms.

Despite Corrin's apparent death, there was still fighting to be done. The battle had to go on no matter what. Takumi was still possessed and attacking anyone in his way with powerful arrows from his Fujin Yumi. The attacks were beyond deadly, and after each, the troops scattered. If Corrin could be brought down, nobody was safe.

The fact that the Hoshidan had attacked his sister's son was also a red flag. Even if Takumi had reason to be bitter with the Nohrian family and would never see past Corrin's betrayal, nobody from either country though the man heartless enough to attack an innocent child.

"Mama, please," Kana begged one last time as he clutched his Dragonstone and prepared to fight his lost uncle. "Wake up…"

Words never came. She slipped into unconsciousness despite the terrible, agonizing pleas from her family to stay awake, and as far as the army could tell…they had lost their leader with the end of the war in sight.

 **-END-**

Next time, we return to the Northern Fortress to celebrate Corrin's sixteenth birthday. Meanwhile, the terrors of war linger on the horizon.

See you soon!


	12. Belated Birthday

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of any part of the Fire Emblem franchise, including the plot and characters of FE: Fates.

Author's Note: I love summer. It's my favorite season, so I spend a ton of time outside…and less time inside writing (unless it's for work.) On that note, I apologize for my updates being less frequent lately! I promise I'll be like a machine one it's colder, haha!

I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **-START-**

The sound of a bell pierced the still air of the Northern Fortress and jolted its inhabitants awake from their peaceful slumbers.

It was a shrill and jarring sound that made Felicia jump from her bed and made Jakob roll over and practically smother himself with a pillow in a vain attempt to block out the noise. The intrusiveness of the noise was only magnified by the fact that it was still hours before dawn.

Despite the loudness of the alarm eliciting grumbles and curses from everyone within the fortress's walls, there was a good reason for the rude awakening.

Today was the day Corrin's royal siblings and father would travel to the fortress to celebrate her sixteenth birthday the following day. The plan was for her family to stay in the fortress overnight, which was much longer than any prior visit, and then participate in a grand celebration. The amount of preparation would no doubt be massive, but Corrin was almost vibrating in equal parts excitement and anticipation of the days to come.

While she was excited to celebrate her birthday, she'd already seen many parties with her closest friends inside the fortress. If revelry was all that had been set aside, she would have been content to celebrate with just Gunter, Lilith, Flora, Felicia and Jakob. Considering that the group had celebrated many years of birthdays together, she knew any day would be perfect as long as they were together. What excited her even more was the appearance of all of her precious siblings for an incredibly rare extended visit.

Finally, she could see Xander, Camilla, Leo and little Elise all at once. She supposed her father would be present as well, no doubt with Iago at his side. She grumbled at that part.

Their impending arrival to the fortress would be signaled with the ringing of the tower's loudest bells to alert the employees and princess to get ready and finish the preparations. To Corrin's delight, the loud sound for the citadel's tower signified her family was definitely on their way, and would arrive in mere hours. It was no wonder sleep evaded her so easily.

Although the sound startled Corrin, it hadn't awoken her. She'd been conscious in her bed for hours and spent most of her time staring out on of the large windows in her new bedroom at the citadel.

The windows were much larger than the ones that had been present in her childhood bedroom that she'd moved out of mere days before.

According to a message from King Garon, he'd ordered that the teenage girl be relocated by fortress staff members to a new room prior to her sixteenth birthday. Perhaps in a fleeting moment of humanity, the man had decided to give his maturing daughter a gift after all her days of living in a cell. Truthfully, she would have rather asked for better accommodations for her friends and the other staff members, but Gunter would hear nothing of it.

In addition to a larger room with more adult amenities that included a larger washroom and a storage area from her books and weapons, stepping into the room was also a symbolic step into adulthood.

Corrin knew sixteen was Nohr's minimum age for marriage, but it was also the age most warriors underwent training and began preparation for the battlefield. The teen had been fearful that her father's announcement would be an order for her to be wed to a neighboring noble, perhaps even a Hoshidan royal, to put a stop to the war and form a symbolic alliance between countries. It certainly would coincide with feudal Nohrian traditions that Corrin was slowly realizing she didn't completely agree with.

"Marriage at sixteen?" she thought incredulously as she yanked off her nightshirt and pulled on a navy-colored slip that smoothed the lines of her underclothes against her skin. "That just seems so young. If Elise was in my position, I'd be fighting tooth and nail against her wedding some stranger."

She supposed it was a matter of mindset and culture. At the moment she couldn't even think of marriage and children, especially not when her home was seemingly falling apart around her and her father seemed to be stuck in the unreachable eye of a swirling hurricane that was slowly wearing Nohr into the ground. However, his latest kind gesture of offering to visit Corrin on her birthday had given her hope that perhaps the man she longed to get closer with wasn't completely gone. Perhaps there was still the possibility that she could have a father.

"I shouldn't be so selfish," she said, chastising herself aloud as she slipped a black headband atop her head of white, slightly tinted hair. "I'm lucky to have as many siblings and friends as I do. I'd do anything to make them happy or help them in the war, if I could."

Still, the idea of an alliance via marriage seemed like a long-gone possibility. If it had been up to her, she'd be training every day in battle and negotiation to join her siblings in quelling the war effort as peacefully as possible. She'd rather fight of the front lines that take someone's hand in a political marriage.

However, ever since the day she learned of Elise's birth, she knew that wasn't a possibility. Her other siblings didn't hold her on as high of a pedestal as they held each other.

"It makes sense," she thought aloud as she dabbed just enough peachy-red mousse on her lips and cheeks to make her look well-rested. "After all, I haven't lived with them and I have no experience in delegating or leading an army. I'm not useful to them in the war effort, and I know how busy they are. I can't be selfish and demand they spend more time with me when I have nothing to offer."

She paused to recap the rouge. In her reflection she could see a familiar wetness in her eyes.

Not liking the direction her thoughts were taking, she instantly cheered herself up by running a brush through her silvery locks and changing into her navy blue undershirt and skirt beneath her basic protective padding. If she had real armor, the plates would have fit snugly over the basic garments.

For once, she slipped into heeled shoes to elongate her silhouette and hopefully make herself look nobler. She didn't look as cute as Elise or as womanly as Camilla, but she hardly thought she looked terrible.

"There," she said, admiring her reflection as she did a few poses before her mirror with her arms tucked flirtatiously behind her back. "Not bad, I'd say."

Corrin hardly wanted to get married at the moment, but she hoped she looked a little more like an adult. She also hoped she looked worthy of her father's time. It could help to break a few heart's either to give her a surge of much needed confidence.

Thankfully, if the idea to wed her had been flickering in her father's mind at all, her siblings had extinguished it. Although she assumed her father would initiate some kind of royal decree at the ceremony, she had no idea what it could possibly be.

Perhaps he would finally allow her to leave the fortress. Or, even better, perhaps he would alleviate some of her confusion about the missing years of her childhood and inform her about her past. That would be the best present she could ask for.

She applied a few drops of rose-scented oil behind her ears, on her wrists and behind her knees before finally leaving her room to join her friends that were undoubtedly awake and preparing breakfast for the big day. The teen took her steps slowly to get used to the heeled shoes until she reached the stairwell. Corrin took the stairs normally at first before an impish smile spread across her cheeks and she sat atop the smoothed handrail and slid down the stairs with a cry of delight.

The teen rounded the bannister and was only a few feet from the bottom when a figured walked past the stairs carrying a tray of dishes.

Seeing the figure, Corrin yet out a yelp and braced for impact, yelling out for the mystery victim to take cover.

"Watch out…!" Corrin squealed as she struggled to come to a halt upon the handrail. Ultimately her attempts to stop failed, but she didn't hit the floor.

The teen was expecting some kind of crash, but nothing ever came. Instead she landed against something soft and somewhat warm. The young woman opened her eyes to see Jakob holding her against his chest.

"Ah, there you are," he said casually. His voice didn't falter despite the light blush on his cheeks. It seemed that he'd seen her flying down the bannister and had run to catch her to prevent his precious mistress from sailing into the floor.

"Jakob!" Corrin exclaimed, enjoying one more moment of closeness before pushing away. "S-Sorry! I flew right into you. Are you okay?"

"I'm perfectly fine, my lady," he said, helping her down onto the floor before frowning and rapping his knuckles lightly against her forehead. "Still, that was dangerous. You must be more careful!"

The young teen managed a nod, smiling despite his serious tone. "You're right. I'm sorry. It's just…you know…I'm so excited for today!"

The woman was practically bouncing as much as she could in heeled shoes in anticipation of the upcoming events.

"I'm sure you are, and for good reason," Jakob agreed as he folded his palms neatly in front of him. "It's a big occasion for you. I see you even put on shoes."

Corrin nodded excitedly and pointed to her face. "I even did my make-up too! I don't usually wear a lot, but how does it look?"

Jakob stepped back and pretended to scrutinize her skills at work, much like a dress designer evaluating a model. The teen laughed and used one hand to cover her face as he alleviated his playful tongue-in-cheek banter. The butler told her truthfully, "I'm only teasing. You look beautiful, my lady."

"Really?" she asked incredulously. Truth be told, she hadn't been expecting such a forward answer. To Corrin, people like Camilla were the beautiful and lovely ones that deserved praise for their natural beauty. She felt normal by comparison, but her friend's words were so genuine that the girl decided to indulge herself and believe Jakob was telling the truth, even if he was only being polite.

"Thank you…" she said gratefully, reaching up to brush the shoulder of his uniform. She wanted to make sure that her crash hadn't left any cosmetic smears on the pristine fabric. Jakob caught her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. It was a silent gesture, telling her to not worry about him and to focus instead on the upcoming festivities.

"Oh, um…where did your tea tray go?" Corrin asked suddenly, noticing the absence of china in his arms. "I could have sworn you were carrying something."

All of a sudden, the teen noticed a blue-haired maid lurking a few feet away. In her head was a lopsided, but safe, tea set. The slightly disheveled state of her hair indicated that she'd made a mad dash to catch the set after Jakob had seemingly tossed it into the air to catch his liege.

"Right here," the maid panted. "I caught it. I don't think anything is broken."

"Good job Lilith," Jakob remarked as he took the tea tray from the maid's hands. It wasn't often the butler was impressed by the deeds of others, but the small maid's feat of catching the tray at the last second had captured even his awe. "Please excuse my lack of professionalism, but I simply couldn't let Lady Corrin get injured."

"Thank you, and I absolutely understand," the girl said, huffing a little due to being short of breath. It was evident that she'd nearly had a heart attack while trying to catch the precious dishes. "I'm glad I could help Jakob, but please, give me some warning! You know I prize our liege's safety above all else, but the idea of paying for broken dishes like these with labor makes me shiver."

The three shared a laugh before Corrin turned to face the direction of the banquet hall. The stony bunker was awash in pinkish candlelight and the finest tapestries and lines were procured to make the shabby fortress look as flawless as possible. Even from a few rooms away, she could smell the fresh food that was already being prepared for the king's impending arrival. Granted, the food was mostly made up of humble rice dishes, porridge, and floury pastries due to the sparse ingredients at the fortress's disposal from the garden and limited pantry. Everything had to be imported, so fresh fruit or vegetables wouldn't be a possibility until the Nohrian family arrived. Then the chefs and cooks could prepare a feast with the provided ingredients from usually stocked royal caravan. After all, Corrin's siblings deserved the best, and they were apparently the only ones who did.

If Corrin had noticed the unfair treatment, she didn't remark on it.

"It looks so beautiful," Corrin said, turning to face Lilith and Jakob a few feet back. "Who decorated? Was it Felicia?"

The blue-haired girl nodded. "Yes, it was! As usual, her taste in decorating is wonderful. Jakob and Flora did a lot of the cooking."

"What about the old man?" Jakob asked, referring to Gunter. "I haven't seen him around."

"He's in charge of security, no doubt," Corrin jumped in. "That's okay! I know I'll see him later."

"Of course," Jakob replied, rolling his eyes and speaking in a voice that practically oozed sarcasm. "We can't have his _majesty_ walking around without a few royal guard dogs. In a place as dangerous as the fortress, that would be unheard of!"

"Jakob!" Lilith chided, her small hand smacking the back of his shoulder. "Quiet! That's Lady Corrin's family!"

Both averted their eyes to their liege, who was standing silently a few feet away still staring at the banquet hall. The young teen was so appreciative of everyone's hard work that she didn't desire to entertain Jakob's negative comments about her father. After all, the older she became, the more she doubted that she needed to defend him at all.

"Thank you guys so much for today," Corrin said truthfully, walking to her friends and taking their hands. Jakob was still too young, only a year older than Corrin, to wear the spiked gauntlets of servants who took to the battlefield. As a result, she could feel the warmth of his hands against her own. "I really don't deserve all these luxuries. I haven't done anything but sit around and act useless, yet you guys put this amazing party together for me."

"Milady, it's one room in the banquet hall," Lilith remarked softly. "It's no trouble."

"Don't be absurd," Jakob said firmly. "You're not useless. You've been locked here your whole life, unable to go outside. Hell, the one time you did, everyone broke out into a panic. You've been practically a prisoner you're whole life. Certainly you recognize that."

Again, Corrin didn't remark on the neglect insisted upon by Jakob. Instead, she closed her eyes and recalled Silas with nostalgic fondness she hadn't felt in a while. She had to wonder where he was and what he was doing now.

"Thank you guys so much," she said ruefully. "You're all amazing, I guess is what I'm trying to say. I hope you know that."

The tension was interrupted by Lilith easing her hand from Corrin's grip and gently shaking her awake. "How about we get some food in your belly? Your family will be here soon, and you'll need a lot of energy if you want to stay up with your siblings and chat all night!"

The pale-haired teen nodded, allowing herself to be dragged along by Lilith towards the fancy dining area. Just as Jakob was about to bow and exit the area to get started on other pre-arrival chores, Corrin tugged on his billowing sleeve and pulled him along in a rope formation with Lilith in the lead.

"You too, Jakob! You helped cook, after all," the teen said with a playful smile.

Any objection Jakob had died on his tongue upon seeing Corrin's cheery face as he was pulled into the dining hall. He supposed he was hungry after all, and any excuse to spend time with his lady was always welcomed.

"Very well," he agreed. "I'd be happy to."

* * *

The other inhabitants, including Felicia and Flora, had also joined the young woman in a small partaking of the birthday treats the servants had worked to cook. After all, it seemed Garon and his children were a few hours late to the fortress anyway, and it would have been a waste for the food to grow cold. Besides, such a surplus of goods had been prepared that the staff's lunch barely made a dent in the stock. Every servant and staff member was able, and willing, to eat some of the dishes.

Alongside the spontaneous lunch came some bad news from Gunter, who wore his usual armor and appeared to be equipped with weapons as if he planned to mobilize the troops soon.

The old knight received a report that the caravan carrying Corrin's siblings had run into Hoshidan troops near a placed called The Bottomless Canyon. The mere mention of the name struck fear into everyone's hearts, as it was a fairly infamous and dangerous location among travelers and civilians alike. Corrin wondered why her family would venture to take such a dangerous route to the citadel, but wasn't brave enough to ask.

"We received the report from one of their wyvern riders," Gunter said. "Fear not, princess. I'm taking an army out now to escort them the rest of the way. Your siblings are powerful, even at their young age. I guarantee their safety."

" _I wish I could help,"_ Corrin thought desperately while clutching her fists.

According to Gunter, they would arrive at the fortress later into the night. Until then, the staff was free to wander and do what they pleased.

First on the agenda was to clean up after the feast, especially in the kitchen. Corrin kept herself busy by helping sweep the floors, removing the trash and even washing some of the dishes, much to her retainers' chagrin.

" _I have to make myself useful,"_ she thought, brow furrowing deeply as she amassed an impressive stack of dishes. From afar, Felicia watched with a concerned gaze as her close companion seemed to be undergoing a mental struggle.

Before Felicia could approach her mistress and attempt to ease Corrin's worries, the sound of yelling pierced the air. Felicia turned to see Jakob waving a finger at Lilith, who looked as if she was on her way out of the fortress to dispose of a bucket of cooking scraps.

"Jakob, now isn't the time for petty fights," Flora groaned as she stood before the two servants currently caught in a conundrum. His blustering was loud enough to awaken the princess from her daydreams and catch her attention. The young butler practically radiated stubborn pride while Lilith, clearly annoyed, seemed to shrink away from him.

"What's going on?" Felicia asked in a confused tone as she approached the trio. "Why are you yelling at her now, Jakob?"

Jakob clicked his tongue in annoyance as Corrin made her way over to the group. He said, "I'm simply reprimanding Lilith for acting out of line."

"You appear to be yelling at her because she was about to toss out the water we used to cook the rice for lunch," Flora said, planting her hands on her hips. "What did the poor girl do wrong?"

"You said it yourself," Jakob fired back. "She was going to pour out rice water. There's nothing more wasteful! I can't allow such foolishness."

"Hm?" Corrin asked, crossing her arms behind her back. For the moment the concerns she had about her family we forgotten as she mused over what Lilith could have done to get rise out of the butler. She asked curiously, "Are there are a lot of uses for rice water? Isn't it…just used water from cooking?"

"Rice water has a lot of uses," Jakob insisted. "You can polish floors with it and it'll shine from the oil and nourish the wood. You can also use it to rehydrate fish and take the bitterness from vegetables like radishes. You can also water plants with it, and it'll serve as fertilizer. Any expert at housework would know that!"

"I didn't know that," Felicia said with wide eyes.

"What a shock," Jakob said flatly.

Flora's patience appeared to have diminished as she let out a long sigh and shot the butler an icy glare. "Indeed, Jakob. You're a fantastic servant, but your knowledge surpasses what we need to keep the fortress tidy. Perhaps you've been studying more between your naps than I thought. Exactly why do you know these things?"

"We don't even have wooden floors here…" Corrin said, cocking her head in bewilderment.

"You never know when a cleaning need might present itself," Jakob said plainly, confused by everyone's amazement. "Any butler worth his salt knows how to properly care for any type of domicile."

An idea popped into Lilith's head as she listened to Jakob talk. The teen swiveled her head around the banquet hall until she saw a discarded plate of scraps. "Okay, Jakob. I have a challenge! That plate has a lemon peel and cheese rind on it. I bet you can't use those for anything. May I throw those away, at least?"

"You may _not_ ," the butler said, much to the aproned girl's chagrin. "You can use the rinds of cheese to flavor soups and stews. Put some salt on that lemon rind and you can scrub sinks and metal surfaces clean of grime, which I'm sure you haven't been doing judging from your lack of basic knowledge."

"Are you cleaning the fortress with garbage?" Flora asked in a concerned voice.

The group of teens gradually moved from the banquet hall and to the library, which had become their usual gathering spot. The group had kept the Book Club tradition thriving years after its conception by transitioning from fairy tales to reading historical texts and even romance novels. The latter were especially fun with the addition of the silly voices and cliché performances which, even as teenagers, the group never grew tired of poking fun at. Corrin would never admit it, but sometimes she even enjoyed reading them.

As they walked, Jakob spouted even more knowledge about cleaning and homemaking that annoyed flora but amazed Lilith, Felicia and Corrin.

"No way…" Lilith sulked, her fingers knifing through her sapphire colored bangs. "He's a fountain of homemaking knowledge. I can't win."

"Oh, I get it," Corrin said, her face lighting up with realization as she turned to her pink-haired friend. "Jakob is very domestic, isn't he? Wait, is that the right word?"

"He definitely is," Felicia giggled. "Maybe I was wrong. He might be abrasive, but I can totally see Jakob taking care of people! I never would have thought about Jakob with a family before."

"Please don't talk about me as if I weren't here," he insisted with a deadpan stare. "And me? With a family? Are you mental? Even if the possibility were to arise, I'd prefer to limit my caretaking to my butler duties."

The group gathered in a small circle in the library. Each one gathered the proper set of cushions and chairs into the usual arrangement. However, since their original club in their childhood days, they now had a new member in Lilith who preferred to sit right next to the princess. Nobody else seemed to mind the new addition to their secret society, especially since she got wonderfully scared during spooky stories and it made for quite an amusing spectacle.

"Can you image Jakob as a dad?" Corrin continued, completely ignoring her friend's protests as they settled down in their respective spots. She imagined her friend going about his usual tasks in the fortress, but with a small infant strapped to the front of his uniform, peacefully sleeping while his father worked. "Aw, that would be so sweet to see! Big Jakob and Little Jakob doing housework together! Can you guys imagine?"

Flora looked pleased with the thought and Felicia couldn't resist gushing at the mental image.

The pink haired maid continued eagerly, "Oh, oh! What if Jakob has a kid, and they have a terrible bedhead all the time! After all, any child of his would definitely inherit his love of sleeping between chores."

"I bet they'd have one hell of an attitude as well…" Flora mused with a pleased chuckle. "Goodness, I don't think the world can handle that much arrogance."

"Please stop," Jakob pleaded helplessly, cheeks turning pink. The teen hurriedly picked up a nearby book from the shelf and opened it. "Fine. While you all continue your fantastical banter, I'm going to start reading."

Corrin laughed merrily alongside her companions. Although they were having fun at Jakob's expense, she figured his strictness and disregard for other people's feelings had earned him at least a little bit of scrutiny.

All of a sudden, Corrin realized that her fears about her siblings from before had evaporated. While logic dictated that her family would certainly be okay, especially with help from Gunter, the teen had still been a nervous wreck after hearing about the possible disaster. Merely being with her friends and witnessing their overly silly banter had not only lifted her spirits, but had her nearly rolling with laughter.

As she sat in her familiar spot in the book Club's circle, she let her eyes wander to the starlight coming from a nearby window. It seemed that dusk had already come. If Gunter's words were true, then her family would be arriving in a few hours. While Nohr was always dark, she didn't realize how much time had passed.

" _Tomorrow I'll see my siblings and my father for the first time in forever,"_ she thought as she looked skyward and outside one of the library's towering windows. Outside, the moon glowed bright against the mahogany sky and glittered like a sphere of mica. The teen's crimson eyes returned to the room, awash in moonlight, as she saw Flora reading a dramatic scene with everyone listening intently.

Lilith and Felicia wore expressions of awe at Flora's superb acting and claimed she'd make a wonderful queen one day. Jakob was even entranced by her performance, but as soon as he felt Corrin's gaze, he turned to smile at her again. The sight of his illusive grin made Corrin's face color a shade of crimson instead of its usual pink hue. The young butler didn't harbor any of the annoyance from their earlier conversation on his face, and a realization suddenly dawned on the princess.

Corrin realized that her friends had playfully bickered not because they were in honest disagreement…but to make her laugh and ease her mind of her worries.

It had most definitely worked.

" _Tomorrow I'll see my real family,"_ she thought as her cheeks flushed red. _"So…why do I never want today to end?"_

 **-END-**

The Tales of Berseria references are strong in this chapter, haha!

Also, I totally picture Flora, Felicia, Corrin, Jakob and Lilith gathering in the library in the same way the characters gather at the hideout in Persona 5. They're just chilling out, waiting for the next mission, lol.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I know it's a lot of dialogue, but it was a lot of fun to write! If it's too much, please let me know. Next time, it's Corrin's birthday! We meet all the siblings and our favorite king.

Thank you so much for reading! You guys are amazing with your support and kind messages.


	13. Destined Fate

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Fire Emblem franchise, including the plot or characters of Fates.

Author's Note: Oh boy. I'm so sorry for my absence, guys. I've been hustling at work and have also had some computer troubles, but everything has finally mellowed out. Summer is also my favorite season, so…I'm guilty of spending a lot of time outside and away from my computer when I get even the tiniest chance, haha!

Once it's cold out, I'll be a machine. I promise you guys that.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **-START-**

"Happy birthday, little princess," Xander said while flashing his little sister a grin from across the fortress's corridor. "I'm so sorry we're late."

The strapping young teen hopped out of the Nohrian royal carriage and stood a before the fortress's entrance beneath the purplish glow of the dark moon overhead. The family was clearly hours late, but had arrived at the fortress as promised. Still wearing his armor from the surprise ambush at the Bottomless Canyon, Xander made a beeline for his little sister.

As expected, Corrin nearly bolted down the hall to greet her illusive family members. She'd seen the carriage roll up from one of the tall windows in the library and had run from the room so quickly that the stone floor left her unadorned heels pummeled and bruised. The teen remembered she'd also left her shoes in the library, but didn't even care. It had been so long since she'd seen her siblings that only thoughts of seeing their faces again flooded her head and blocked out any pain of exhaustion she felt.

Right as Corrin entered the hall, her four friends and royal servants trailed behind her faithfully. Felicia had been asleep and as a result was sporting a lopsided ponytail that had to be fixed by Flora at the last second. Lilith watched the Nohrian siblings with an odd amount of intrigue, but Jakob chalked it up to paltry intrigue.

"Don't gawk," Jakob whispered to the blue-haired girl sharply. "You'll get reprimanded."

"Only if they notice me," she replied with a surprising amount of severity. Her tone was so unusually serious that silver-haired butler was unable to stop his brow from lofting in surprise. He hadn't expected such a statement from the usually reserved, amicable young lady.

Jakob didn't stay focused on Lilith for long and quickly redirected his attention back to his liege.

"Big brother!" Corrin cried out gleefully upon seeing her sibling saunter towards her in the darkened corridor. "You guys really made it!"

"We would never fail you, my darling," a female's voice replied from behind Xander's taller frame. The sounds of her heeled footsteps echoed familiarly through the halls. "I'm dreadfully sorry we're so late. You must have been up waiting a long while."

"No, not at all," Corrin gushed. "Please, don't worry. I'm just so happy you're all safe."

Her excitement was doubled upon seeing the signature lavender waves of her sister Camilla. As she ran up to tightly fold her arms around both of her siblings, Elise and Leo weren't far behind. King Garon held a giggly Elise in his arms and Leo trailed behind him holding the older man's hand. Iago followed loyally at the man's side, looking down his beak-like nose at Corrin as if she was an insect. Jakob saw the malicious stare directed towards his lady and huffed in annoyance, gripping his fists and staring at both men with icy indifference.

Meanwhile, Corrin was doing her best to not let her nervousness show through. The girl was obviously very intimidated by the father she never saw, but today, things seemed different.

The sight of her father being so tender with her siblings made the princess's heart flutter. For a moment, she was excited about addressing him rather than fearful.

Upon seeing the older man, the four servants dipped their heads in respect and Corrin made sure to square her shoulders briskly before speaking.

"Hello, father," she said with a charming smile. "It's wonderful to see you."

Silence followed her innocent statement, and everyone else in attendance cringed at the stretch of uncomfortable silence. Corrin cleared her throat and said again, "I…um…heard you were all engaged in a battle at the Bottomless Canyon. I wish I could have been there to help. I hope none of you are hurt."

King Garon lowered his gaze to the teen while slowly releasing Leo's hand. Camilla walked up to take her younger brother's hand and tug him close while Xander reached up to take Elise before his father could hand the child off to someone like Iago.

"No shoes again, Corrin?" Garon's voice boomed. "I thought you might be an appropriate lady today, but I suppose I was a fool to think such a thing."

Every decibel of his voice seemed to ooze with dissatisfaction. It seemed that, upon seeing Corrin, his somewhat normal demeanor had vanished and was replaced with almost monstrous wickedness.

"Oh, I apologize," she replied, her confidence waning quickly even with four of her closest friends nearby. "I left them in the library, father. I'm sorry for not presenting myself more formally. I just got so excited to see all of you that I ran right down when I saw your carriage."

Corrin wished she could retract the excuses the second she left her mouth. She knew she must have sounded immature and naïve.

Garon continued dryly, "I see that, even here, you can't seem to grasp basic royal mannerisms. This is why you can't live at the castle. You're an embarrassment."

Corrin froze and stood in humiliated silence. If she had any words of protest, she died on her tongue.

Felicia, Flora, Lilith and Jakob watched with expressions that ranged from anger to horror as all four fought the urge to yell back at the horrendous ruler. Jakob was especially irked and, had it not been for the gauntlets on his hands, his fingernails would have left bloody crescents in the palms of his balled fists.

"Father!" Camilla gasped in a grave tone. "With all due respect, you shouldn't lecture our Corrin merely on the way she dresses. After all, it's late. I'm sure we surprised everyone."

Garon ignored her as Camilla continued to squeeze Leo's hand, causing the blond boy to glance upward and touch her elbow sympathetically. Elise was seemingly speechless while Xander's attention was solely focused on his father's broad back as he marched down the aisle toward the fortress's inner chambers.

Corrin felt like she'd been punched to the gut as her father stepped passed her to completely evade her. The caped man continued down the hall before turning one last time and saying, "Get properly dressed and join us in the dining hall in a few hours."

The king jerked his chin toward the moonlit sky. Although Nohr was always dark, it was clearly late and the royal family needed sleep.

Garon said, "Although you don't deserve it, I do have a gift for you. Don't waste more of my time by being late. Until then, we shall rest. Come, children."

"No!" Elise protested in a strident voice that made Corrin inhale sharply. "I want to spend more time with Corrin! We never ever see her!"

Xander shushed her as quickly as possible before nodding in his father's direction. He cast a woeful stare to an unhappy Camilla and Leo before finally speaking up. "As you wish, Father. We're right behind you."

"Xander!" Camilla hissed, clearly not pleased with her family's treatment of her sister. Before the young woman could say anything else, Corrin gently placed a hand on her sister's back and shook her head.

"It's okay, Camilla, please go with Father and the others…" the pale-haired teen said in the happiest voice she could manage. "You must all be exhausted after the battle. Please rest up, and I'll see you all in a few hours."

"My dear Corrin…" the woman said, caressing her younger sister's cheek before pulling her into a brief embrace. "My darling, we'll talk soon, okay?"

Just before Camilla left her sister's side, the woman opened Corrin's hand sneakily and slipped a small box into the younger girl's hand. She whispered quickly, "Happy birthday, love."

Inside the small box was a silver charm that the young woman could clip to her black headband. It was square-shaped and decorated with delicate flourish. It mere sight of the jewelry made her voice weak. "Camilla…thank you so much!

"Yes," Leo added tonelessly, as if embarrassed by what he was going to say. "Happy birthday, sister."

The young woman was also moved to tears. "Camilla, Leo…thank you so much. You didn't have to…"

"Children!" Garon barked loudly, his voice like thunder booming through the walls. "Come here, now."

Although Elise was still whimpering in protest, Xander gave Corrin and apologetic stare as he followed Garon faithfully down the hall. Camilla and Leo shadowed reluctantly as the rest of the family's royal entourage followed suit behind their leader. Two individuals in particular followed her oldest brother, and she could only assume they were his royal retainers.

 _That's right,_ Corrin thought. _Xander has probably already finished most of his training for the battlefield. Camilla is next in line, and after that last fight, I'm sure Elise and Leo will also fight for Nohr on the front lines. I'm the only useless one._

As all her siblings vanished behind the thick stone doors, the four servants mobilized to guide them to their respective chambers for the night. Felicia and Flora escorted Elisa and Camilla while Jakob and Lilith escorted Leo and Xander. Gunter handled Garon and Iago, as was expected of someone in such a high station.

Everyone had a purpose but her.

 _Father and Xander have every right to ignore me._

With a loud boom, the stone doors left shut and she was left completely alone in the corridor.

* * *

The girl waited until after she'd run to her bedroom to cry.

She hadn't wanted to shed tears, especially after Camilla, Elise and Leo had shown her such kindness. Even Xander had seemed to regret Garon's ruthless treatment of her, but she understood why he couldn't speak up. In her opinion, she was in no position to judge him when she couldn't even speak up for herself.

The teen had also stopped by the library to grab her discarded shoes. Although they were somewhat painful to walk in, she wore them the entire way back to the room and was careful to avoid any other servants of fortress inhabitants. With the exception of her four friends, she didn't feel like talking to anyone else. The teen was aware many of the other fortress inhabitants didn't care for her, and rightfully so in their forced situations. The last thing she wanted to do was bother them with her problems.

Still, as she arrived back in her room and sank against the door in a mess of sobs and gasps, she desperately wished to talk to someone.

Although she missed her siblings, she found herself longing for the company of one of her close friends. She needed company to blot out the negative emotions she felt brewing inside her tumultuous mind. Making one last plea to a silent bedroom, she managed to mumble, "Please."

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. Corrin's head snapped upright and she turned to face the closed structure with wide eyes. She took a few breaths to steady her voice before calling, "Um, who is it?"

"It's Jakob, milady."

The girl had never reached for a doorknob faster. Corrin opened the door herself, causing Jakob to jump back in mild surprise. After a few seconds of silence between them, Jakob chuckled and said softly, "I take it that you're inviting me in, my lady?"

The teen couldn't help but laugh at the paltry attempt at humor. Jakob wasn't great at comedy, but at the moment, she just appreciated the fact that he'd obviously sensed her sadness and had attempted to lighten the mood somehow before even stepping into the door. From someone as serious as Jakob, it was truly an act of affection. It made her heart thump a little as she realized the true gravity of the gesture.

In fact, Corrin was so touched by the gesture that as soon as Jakob walked into the room and shut the door with a soft click, she ran into his arms and hugged him tightly.

The force of the teen's embrace was enough to knock Jakob against the wall, and for a few moments, he was rendered voiceless. Just as he was about to help offer her a tissue and help her sit, but upon hearing sniffles and whimpers, the he stopped cold.

The young butler didn't even have to ask what was bothering her. He's seen first-hand how Garon's words had pierced her heart like well-aimed daggers.

"My lady, please don't let his words get to you," Jakob said, his arms stiff at his side as Corrin cried softly against his shoulders. Although he longed to return her embrace, he didn't dare reciprocate the gesture. After all, he was her butler and she was a princess. Even if they were alone, it would be a violation of his moral code for him to hug her as tightly as he truly wanted to.

More importantly, the last thought on Jakob's mind was taking advantage of her after she'd be verbally assailed by her father. The young man wasn't about to risk making one of his closest friends feel even more pain after such an awful experience. Instead of drawing her against his chest like he secretly longed to do, the young butler drew a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. Although she accepted it gratefully, she didn't immediately back away.

Her next sentence was muffled due to how tightly her face was pressed against the lapels of his uniform. When she tried to tell him something, he had to lower his face closer to hers in an attempt to make out the phrase.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you," Jakob said gently.

"Your shoulder is wet," Corrin repeated more clearly, pulling away from his chest long enough to cover her face with the simply embroidered fabric. The pure, white fabric perfectly eclipsed her ruddy complexion and inflamed eyes. The young woman looked truly distraught, and seeing her look so upset broke his heart.

"I got your clothes wet from crying. I'm sorry," she said, struggling to not let sobs break her words. "I think I might have smeared my lipstick on your shirt too."

"Don't worry about it," he said easily. He looked down to check his clothes while Corrin dried her eyes and blew her nose. While he wasn't concerned about her tears, the idea of her lipstick smeared against his collar did cause him to panic slightly. No doubt there would be multiple people clamoring for his head if something so intimate was even implied with the princess.

Thankfully, it seemed her cosmetics had smeared on the darker parts of his uniform, thus rendering them invisible. He heaved a sigh and went back to consoling her almost immediately.

"It's okay," he said soothingly, his armored hand caressing her shoulder. "My lady, the things your father said to you were horrible. Pay them no mind."

"But, Jakob…" she said, using the corners of the cloth to wipe her bottom lashes as she struggled to stop crying. "He's right. I've been locked here my whole life, and the one day my father and family visit, I can't hold it together for a few minutes to impress them at all. Now I'm here crying like a child in my bedroom."

"They're your family, and you shouldn't have to impress them," he replied swiftly, taking her shoulders firmly and shaking them. "I don't know what Lord Xander was thinking, but you saw how your other siblings reacted. Lady Elise was practically crying because of how much she wanted to see you. You saw how Lady Camilla acted when your father started to chastise you."

"I know, but it doesn't change that I'm useless to them," she argued. The young woman sighed and finished cleaning her face. Instead of returning the tissue to Jakob, she crossed the room to put it into the laundry. She continued hollowly as she quietly stepped across the room, "I can't fight. I've trained basically in beginner techniques with Gunter alongside you, Felicia and Flora…but I'm useless to my family, and I don't even know why. My existence only serves as means to enslave my friends like Felicia, Flora and Lilith…and people I love, like you."

"Lady Corrin…" he whispered.

"Why...Why was I even born?" she asked brokenly, whipping around to face Jakob with new tears lingering on her lashes. "My whole life has been loneliness and agony, and I don't even know what I did to deserve it! It's because of me that you're all locked in this fortress against your will, and I'm too worthless to put a stop to it."

"Stop it, Corrin," Jakob said forcefully. The butler failed to notice that he'd dropped the title before her name. "You mustn't say things like that."

"Why not?" she asked Jakob with genuine curiosity. "It's true. I'm a spoiled 'princess' that does nothing but take from others, and I hate it. I hate sitting here and doing nothing for my family and friends. The one time I tried to leave…you were all almost executed."

Jakob blinked at the statement. It took him a moment to recall the situation she was speaking of. It took a moment for him to realize she was referring to when Silas had helped her sneak away. That was right, she _had_ tried to leave before. He'd completely forgotten, and he was surprised she remembered.

Before commencing another tirade, she suddenly stopped and turned to look out the nearby window. The barren Nohrian landscape had caught her attention and given her pause. In the distance, the young woman saw twisted trees, crumbling cliffs and gaunt travelers so far off into the distance that they were barely visible. She saw desperate vagrants tending dead fields and living in homes that would barely qualify as shacks by royal standards. After a few moments of silence, a small smile formed across the princess's face and a light laughter escaped her paled lips. Jakob, who refused to leave her side, watched her with obvious concern.

"Lady Corrin?"

"I'm an awful person," she said darkly. Her voice was so soft that it was almost noiseless.

"My lady, what do you mean?"

"All I ever do is feel sorry for myself," she whispered unsteadily. "My existence imprisons others and I'm useless to my family, but I still live a better life than many of Nohr's citizens, and I can't even be thankful for that."

The butler watched her wordlessly, unsure of what to say to make his mistress feel better. Although he longed to console her, he knew there was nothing he could do or say to quell the rage wave of emotions barreling through her heart and mind. Instead, Jakob walked to her side and slowly reached out to take her hand.

When she didn't pull away, he dropped to one knee and tenderly kissed her fingertips. It was the only somewhat intimate gesture he could make towards her that didn't traverse the clearly drawn line between master and servant that separated them.

"Jakob?"

"My lady, with all due respect," he began easily. "I don't believe you're worthless. Far from it."

"You don't?" she asked quietly, almost sounding tearful.

"My lady, it's because of you that I was able to stay in the fortress and not be thrown on the streets," he said, looking up at her from under his silvery bangs. His expression was forlorn and almost distant, and the princess was flashed back to the time when Jakob first came to the castle. In a way, she supposed she had more to be thankful for than he did, and yet she still proceeded to complain to him. The realization of her own greed and selfishness hit her like a brick to the cheek.

Despite her epiphany, Jakob continued to speak nobly of her. "You've been a companion to Felicia and Flora…and now Lilith. You make this hellhole a little more livable. Does that sound like someone who is worthless?"

She sank to her knees and embraced her friend again, careful this time to not stain his uniform with new tears. Even if she had, Jakob wouldn't have cared. " Jakob, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

The butler bristled at her intimate touch, but knowing he didn't want to pull away this time, followed suit and returned the embrace. The young man held Corrin close to his beating heart, which is exactly where most of his thoughts about her seemed to reside. The young butler found that, more often than not, his usually logical mind was muddled by Corrin's presence. Towards her, he always felt the urge to express nothing but kindness and respect because, although she was a little spoiled and perhaps hypocritical, she was at least aware of herself and was always trying to be a better person. She wasn't perfect, but she was always true to herself.

As someone often labeled at face value by others as a vindictive or two-faced, he appreciated her honestly. In a way, he wished he was as brave as her when it came to expressing himself.

"Please don't apologize," he finally said. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

As he attempted to ease away from her grip, Corrin tightened her arms about his torso and held him even closer than before. She then beckoned in a soft tone, "I'm sorry. I'll let go if you want, but…I want to stay like this a while longer."

The butler felt his heart stir again. Unable and unwilling to move away, he closed he eyes and tucked his face against hers. He stayed there, clasped in her strong embrace, and held her as the tremors of sadness and anxiety soft mellowed within her.

"As you wish."

* * *

Hours later, Corrin was finally summed to the candlelit chambers near the banquet hall.

The tables were still made up for a modest feast, but Corrin found that she didn't have the stomach for food. She did, however, munch on a large sugar cookie that had been specially crafted for her as a present from Jakob. He knew they were her favorite and had made an extra-large one for her. The subtle flavor mellowed her stomach without making her feel nauseous.

After an awkward feast of delicate morsels and humble dishes, Garon finally summoned Corrin to the main throne room, specially crafted for royal meetings, to present her gift after hours of waiting.

Due to her older age, she couldn't image what gift Garon would want to give her. When she had been small, he'd occasionally gift her with small trinkets, but nothing extravagant that had required a summons. She thought that, perhaps finally, he would clue her in to the many questions she had about her past.

The young princess never expected that her father's gift to her wouldn't be an object or a punishment, but rather an opportunity.

With her four siblings surrounding the throne like a halo, Garon stood in the middle and nobly declared to everyone in the chamber, "Let it be decreed from this day forward that Corrin shall undergo training from her eldest sibling, Xander. The second princess shall become trained in swordsman ship with the intention of joining the Nohrian royal forces against the land of Hoshido."

The blond man stepped forward and smiled gently at his sister. In the seemingly simple gesture were layers of emotion, and Corrin could see a sadness in his grin that she assumed to be apologetic for his earlier negligence.

The pale-haired princess nodded subtly and kept her gaze locked on the shadowy face of her father.

"My daughter," Garon said, extending an overturned hand to Corrin before turning his palm over. He slowly curled his fingers into a fist and slammed his hand down to his side. "If you wish to leave this fortress, then you'll train with your brother to earn the opportunity to fight for our country, and for me. If you work hard enough, perhaps one day you'll be of use on the battlefield."

Despite the obvious demeaning tone and harsh language from her father's words, they still made Corrin's heart soar with glee. Had she been alone, she would have jumped in the air and twirled about the room like a dancer from Cyrkensia.

Finally, she could be of use and protect her family. She could protect her friends and loved ones. It would take hard work and plenty of injuries, but the consequences paled in comparison to the prospects.

The ecstatic teen whirled around to meet Jakob's face. Out of everyone else in the room, she was most excited to see his reaction.

The look of pure joy on Corrin's face made the fastidious young butler forget protocol just for a moment, and in a second of weakness, he dared to smile back at her. The grin was full of more than simple reverence. Somehow, it was different from Xander's apologetic smile.

Corrin saw the excited grin on his face and, for the first time, realized Jakob embodied everything she wanted to protect. Where she wanted to protect her friends, family and loved ones…Jakob seemed to fall into every category.

Her words from earlier played over in her head from earlier, and she remembered what she had confessed to Jakob hours before when she was crying in his arms.

" _My existence only serves as means to enslave my friends like Felicia, Flora and Lilith…and people I love, like you."_

Now, as she looked into Jakob's lavender eyes, she vowed at that moment to change her fate. Even if it cost her own life on the battlefield, she would do anything to protect the family that had become so dear to her within the fortress.

Especiall _y_ him.

 **-END-**

I think this is a good time to mention that, once we get into the actual storyline of Conquest, I'll be doing a lot of paraphrasing. By now, most reading this have probably completed or watched a playthrough of Conquest, so you guys already know what happens. No need to repeat it.

Also, I apologize for any canonical errors I make with the Fates plot! I still get confused sometimes, and going back, I'm sure I've missed details. I hope it doesn't ruin the story for you, but if I miss something major, let me know.

Thank you guys so much for sticking with this slow-burning fic.

See you soon!


	14. Live To Serve

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T (For suggestive themes in this chapter and onward)

Disclaimer: The plot/characters of Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest belong to Intelligent Systems and Nintendo.

Author's Note: It has been a crazy two weeks for me. The paper I work for lost an editor, so I'm in overdrive. I tried to write this chapter a little last week, and my fingers were literally shaking too badly to type.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Those "suggestive themes" I previously mentioned will be present in this chapter and onward. Also, we're finally nearing the actual start of the game's plotline. Yay!

 **-START-**

The sound of two blades screeching against each other echoed stridently against the cold, stone walls of the Northern Fortress. The noise caused hoards of bats to fly from trees and awoke many nighttime creatures from their slumber. The sound came from atop one of the fortress's highest towers and, unbeknownst to its citizens, one of its highest battlefields.

At the top of one of the citadel's many towers was a flattened surface in the shape of a wide pentagon that was hundreds of feet wide. The flooring was darkly checkered and a waist-high guardrail crept around the entire circumference for obvious safety reasons.

Although it certainly didn't emulate the conditions of a real battlefield, it was perfectly suited to helping Corrin undergo her training.

Ever since her teenage birthday, Corrin had taken up a strenuous combat regime with Gunter and also had monthly battles with her older brother Xander.

For once, the young woman had the opportunity to truly improve her strength and battle techniques beyond the usual weekly sparring session she also did with Gunter. At the time, he'd merely insisted it as a form of exercise for the cooped up princess. Now, he began to tutor her seriously for the battlefield in the same way he would train new knights seeking admittance into the Nohrian guard.

Every battle was long and hard-fought. No matter how long the girl prepared or how long the battle stretched, Corrin always lost against Xander.

Upon failing to land a final blow and falling in a wounded mass to the ground, Xander would look down his nose at his younger sister and mutter mournfully, "How disappointing. I suppose you don't wish to leave the fortress at all."

Once he'd left, she'd haul herself up despite the bleeding and throbbing pain. To her, it was a matter of pride. She had mastered the art of losing against him, but never gave up.

Each month, the young woman trained beyond normal physical limits. Gunter trained her to use a variety of weapons, although she specialized in the use of a sword. Even the fortress servants would get in on the action, which wasn't unusual considering they had all also been trained for battle as a precaution if they were ever cornered in an attack and needed to help their master to safety.

Felicia didn't like fighting her mistress, but Flora seemed to take the practice in stride. Upon seeing her sister and mistress dance across the battlefield in a deadly dance of combat with knives slicing the air and blades flashing under the moonlight, the breath was always stolen from her throat. Flora never looked more like the Ice Tribe's potential queen than when she was bravely engaging the princess in a one on one battle. Their fights usually ended in a tie, although each had their fair share of wins and losses. They always managed to smile at each other, although Corrin's enthusiasm was usually met with the usual amount of cold distance from Flora. Again, the young princess had grown used to it.

Watching Corrin fight Jakob was an interesting spectacle, to say the least. Although both fought with grace and courtesy, neither went easy on the other. Quite the opposite.

Jakob fought Corrin with all the tenacity of a man facing a deadly opponent on a real battlefield. Corrin combated his every attack with almost complete precision. After all their years together, it was almost as if they could read each other's minds and anticipate each attack. It made their fights even more of a learning experience for Corrin, and Jakob as well.

Although the weapons were dulled and far from lethal, each still had the potential to harm the other. Sometimes they did.

One time, Corrin almost completely severed the sleeve of Jakob's uniform and left one of his arms completely exposed. Although she hadn't cut the fabric on purpose, it was a nice surprise to see how toned and well-built he was. She remembered when he was still a scrawny little boy, and seeing his strength made her heart and cheeks warm. The warmth then turned to scalding mortification when she realized she's also cut his arm and left a gash in the process. She helped tend the wound so it didn't leave a scar. The princess still felt guilty about the incident.

During another battle, Jakob had left a large bruise on Corrin's abdomen with his elbow while deflecting a blow. He must have apologized for hours. Even after she insisted over and over again that it wasn't a big deal, he still baked a large stack of cookies and made her favorite orange peel tea.

Although the practice battles did help hone her skills for battle greatly, it still wasn't enough to best her older brother.

The battles with Xander remained long and tedious. She still lost every time, but always got back on her feet.

After long sessions that stretched into the night, Lilith would always stay awake to tail Corrin to her bedroom and help her clean her wounds and change into fresh sleeping clothes.

The pattern continued on for years after King Garon's original promise on Corrin's birthday. Now, the young woman was older and had still failed to surpass her brother's strength or the might of his blade, Siegfried. The stress of constantly fighting and trying desperately to earn her family's respect was wearing on her. The woman began to forgo sleeping and even eating in favor of training with Gunter for a place alongside her family in the battlefield. Pain be damned, she was determined to prove her worth for the family she loved so dearly.

Eventually, the self-neglect caught up with Corrin.

It was the morning after one session in particular that the princess awoke to find her royal siblings gone and her body in even more pain than usual.

Upon sitting up, Corrin felt chilled sweat roll down her forehead and back. A contradiction of icy and searing hot pain bloomed in her lower arm. The young woman looked down to see that her right wrist, the one she used to wield her blade, was swollen and purplish. She didn't even have to call a medic to know that it was broken.

She had been in such a rush to go to bed last night after another failure that she had pushed the pain aside and hid any indication of it from Lilith. After a night of restless tossing and turning, the state of her hand had only gotten worse.

"Damn…" Corrin swore as she caressed the bloated flesh with her fingertips. Even the gentlest touch seemed to light her nerves on fire. There was no way she'd be able to wield a blade. Even the idea of lifting a hairbrush or pulling on her clothes with such an injury made her shudder nauseously.

"What do I do?"

Just as the young woman was pondering what to do about the pounding ache, a knock came at her door. She swiveled her head in the direction of the sturdy structure and called out, "Oh! Um…who is it?"

She winced at the sound of her own words the second they left her mouth. Although she'd tried to compose her voice, she still sounded as if she was in an immense amount of pain. She supposed there was no point in hiding it, but still, she was a little embarrassed that her own tenacity had led to such a severe injury. No doubt Flora and Gunter would both chastise her. On top of that, she wasn't sure Lilith had the ability to heal her injury and knew Felicia would make a tremendous deal out of the situation.

"It's Jakob, my lady."

The sound of his accented voice on the other side of the door filled her with relief. Before beckoning him inside, he combed her hair with her left hand and called out curiously, "Um, Jakob? Do you happen to have a healing staff?"

"…My lady, are you injured?" Jakob asked from the other side of the door. There was increased urgency to his voice. "I do not have one, unfortunately."

She bit her lip and asked her second question. She'd been hoping to avoid such a direct comment. "That's okay. Don't worry about it, but…um…do you know how to make a cast? Say, for a broken wrist?"

The door opened without her order. The action surprised Corrin, not because he'd acted without a direct command, but because she knew how much of a stickler he was for protocol. Jakob breaking a strictly enforced rule meant that he was either truly worried or truly infuriated at her for hiding such a terrible injury.

As the silver-haired man crossed the room to examine her wrist with concern in his eyes and a tender touch, she realized it was the first possibility and heaved a sigh of relief.

"What happened?" he asked, removing his metal gauntlets so he didn't harm her while examining her injury. A strange expression crossed his features, and he leaned forward a few to ask her direly, "Is this from fighting Lord Xander?"

"It's not his fault," she quickly replied, placing her free hand on his chest as he leaned forward. It wasn't a gesture intended to push him away, but rather to steady him. It had been somewhat reflexive on her part after seeing his reaction to her injury. "It's my fault it's gotten this bad. After I lost last night, I guess I was embarrassed and rushed right to bed. My wrist hurt, but I hid it from Lilith. Please don't fault her for not noticing."

He stared at her critically before turning his amethyst gaze back to the wound. Jakob silently studied her injury for a few more seconds.

"I should have spoken up," Corrin said again, not liking the noiselessness between them. "I'm sorry Jakob. I'd love your help, but I'm sure this is a burden to you. I should have just mentioned it last night, and perhaps it would have been easier to treat."

"Pay that no mind," he said with a sigh. The man gently guided her hand back onto the mistress and continued, "I'll be right back. If we don't have a spare staff, I'm sure we have first-aid supplies. I'll get what you need and we'll get you patched up."

Corrin nodded as Jakob briskly left the room. For a moment, she thought he was angry at her, which she knew she deserved. Those thoughts were dashed seconds later when she heard the frantic pitter pater of his boots down the hall and knew he was racing to get the medical supplies. The butler was worried about her, and her concern was replaced almost immediately with guilt.

" _I'm nothing but trouble for everyone, no matter how strong I try to become,"_ she thought with dismay.

It took the butler less than five minutes to dash across the sprawling citadel to gather all the necessary materials for tending to Corrin's shattered wrist. His lungs burned from running and the heaviness of his armored uniform didn't aid his fast pace, but he didn't care. The man gathered all the bottles and bandages necessary in his arms and made a beeline for Corrin's chamber.

When he knocked again, she was still in bed waiting for him. He was grateful to see that she hadn't tried to move her arm prematurely. Although Corrin was capable of dressing and doing her hair without the help of the maids, any attempts to do so on her end might have hurt her wrist even more than before.

Jakob went to her bedside and kneeled before her after spreading the bandages and ointments out on the bed. At this, Corrin stopped him again with a gentle press on his chest.

"You don't have to do that," she said as she gazed upon his kneeling position. She patted a spot on the bed. "Sit here."

The young man lifted a brow and continued to cup her hand as gently as possible. His eyes traveled to the place on the bed, quite close to Corrin, who was also only dressed in sleeping clothes. "My lady, I'm afraid that would be improper. Besides, protocol clearly dictates…"

"If you sit on the bed, the light is better from the window," she refuted quickly. The quickness of her words made it sound as if she really wanted him to sit close to her. "Also, it's much more comfortable. I mean, for both of us."

She recently realized that she didn't like to see a dear friend kneel before her like a servant. It made her feel uncomfortable when anyone did it, but Jakob was a special case. The young woman liked looking at him eye-level, like the equal her royal family decreed he couldn't be. She beckoned again, "Please, sit."

Although it wasn't a traditional order, the command was still spoken with the finality of a princess. Jakob relented with a sigh and sat on the bed mere inches from her.

"As you wish," he said easily, trying his best to keep his face low to hide the mauve-colored blush on his cheeks. The butler sat on the princess's bed and leaned over her slightly to start patching up her injured wrist.

"Thank you, Jakob," she said again, feeling truly comfortable with him taking care of her. There was no hesitation that rattled her gaze or voice. Even as he brandished glass bottles of disinfectants that would definitely sting and even a few sharper tools, the princess felt relaxed when her safety was in her hands. She completely trusted him.

"I really appreciate this," she said. "I promise it'll never happen again."

"You're welcome, my lady," he said, his tone mostly devoid of emotion as he was focused on mending her wound. "I could do no less."

She sighed happily. Even after practically two decades together, Corrin still loved it when Jakob called her 'my lady.'

Minutes passed in silence as Jakob doted on her wrist. With the skill of a true butler, he was able to use the first-aid supplies to disinfect her wound as best he could. As he went to wrap the purplish skin, he studied her wrist carefully before attempting to place a brace across her forearm. Corrin tried her best not to flinch every time, but she knew Jakob could see the pain flash across her face.

"Is it too infected to fix?" she asked. After all, the injury looked bad. It would have been another story if she had allowed someone to mend her wound soon after it happened, but now, the skin and muscle was puffy. The wound had already had ample time to fester, probably beyond the point of recovery.

Jakob didn't immediately respond as he studied the injury one more time.

"I don't think so," he said to Corrin's surprise. "It's definitely broken, but only a few hours have passed since you broke it last night. The broken bone also didn't break the skin, It's a nasty injury, but not severe enough to fester that badly over a few hours."

"Really?" she asked incredulously. The young woman then looked outside and up at the cloudy Nohrian skies. Although the country was always dark, she had learned early in her childhood via the routines of the guards and servants how to read the tones of the heavens and differentiate the subtle differences between day and night. As Corrin looked out the window, she could see the morning was young and dawn had barely broken.

"That's right," she finally said. "I think it's only been broken for about…five hours, maybe."

Jakob nodded and went about dressing the wound.

"It's hardly an ideal situation, but I think a cast and brace will work just fine," Jakob told her with a smile as he laid a study strut against her hand and began to wrap tenderly.

"So we don't have to waste a healing staff?" Corrin asked as her eyes practically sparkled with relief. "Oh, thank the gods. That's a relief!"

Jakob gave her an odd look as he completed taping the gauze. Once he finished and tested the security of the tape with a gentle tug, he looked and her and took her uninjured hand tenderly in his own. Without his gauntlet, she felt the bare skin of his hands against her own.

"Lady Corrin, using a healing staff on your injury wouldn't be a _waste_ ," he clarified with a concerned smile. "It's true that you should have told someone about your wound sooner, but you still had a broken wrist. That's a severe injury, and if it had been any worse, I would have found a healing staff somewhere in this fortress in a heartbeat."

"Jakob…"

"Hell, I would have run the next town over," Jakob swore faithfully as he squeezed her hand. At that moment, the tone of his voice was almost heroic in nature. Corrin was rendered spellbound until moments later when Jakob seemed to realize the gravity of his statement. He quickly backpedaled and continued gracelessly, "Well, somehow. I don't know how I'd convince the old man to let me leave the fortress, but if it meant reassuring your safety, then I'd…"

She titled her head curiously as if silently prodding him to continue. Although she internally chastised her own curiosity, she couldn't help but wonder. She asked breathlessly, "Then you'd…?"

"If that was the case, then I'd…do whatever I could to help," he finally concluded, returning her titled gaze with a woeful look. "I'd go anywhere and do anything for you. I promise you that, my lady."

"Jakob," she replied, his name a gasp on her lips. "I don't know what to say."

"You needn't say anything," he replied softly. "Just promise me you'll never consider your own protection a waste of time or resources."

Corrin blinked away the tears of joy she felt threatening to fall she her bottom lashes. Instead, she squeezed his hand in return. She pursed her lips to prevent her from pressing a kiss to his hand. At that moment, she was overwhelmed with the desire to kiss or embrace him. However, with her lack of proper attire, the thought of pressing her partially clothed body to his so fully made her cheeks swell with a petal-pink hue.

"I promise," she replied. She looked up at him from beneath her pale lashes and felt his thumb lightly brush her cheeks. The tears that had been lingering on her bottom lashes had finally fallen.

He then took her bandaged hand and lifted it to his lips to place a kiss on her fingertips.

"I live to serve you, my lady."

She laughed happily at his declaration, just like she did when she was a small girl. Little did Jakob know the sense of peace those words always brought her, and little did she know how much she would need that loyalty to survive in the near future.

 **-END-**

I went to a carnival earlier today to wind down after the craziness of the work week. Long story short, my friend had too many beers and bought me a glowing magic wand.

Carnivals are just really wonderful writing inspiration for me and have an aesthetic I absolutely enjoy. So that means my urge to write a modern Jokamu fic has intensified greatly. Of course, I'll absolutely include a glowing magic wand in any scene that I can.

(Also, I've definitely already started that modern Jokamu fanfic. I've been working on it in between chapters of this. Now I need to write a carnival date scene, haha!)

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Next time, we begin the Fates prologue.


	15. Embrace the Dark

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to anything in the Fire Emblem franchise, including the plot and characters of Fates/Conquest.

Author's Note: Thank you for the wait! I'm so sorry this is so belated. I hope you're all having an fun and spooky October.

Now, it's finally time to embrace the dark.

 **-START-**

Corrin was truly disoriented. The young princess almost felt as if she was living a dream as she navigated a field of bodies in an attempt to fight her way to the front lines.

"What's happening?" she wondered as she used her sword to slash her way through enemy troops. _"Is this the war between Nohr and Hoshido? How did…I get here…?"_

As she looked around the battlefield, the young woman saw the familiar faces of her Norhian siblings across the way. Accompanying them, she saw an even larger army of unfamiliar faces intermingled with her siblings. One figure appeared to be a dark mage with long, flowing black hair that reached their ankles. Another figure was had long blonde curls with a large white bow. They were all dressed in Nohrian battle garb, but all their faces were fuzzy and their forms were just hazy enough to keep their true identities shrouded in mystery.

" _Where…am I…?"_

Although most of the soldiers were vague, the princess did recognize two forms amongst her Nohrian family members. She spied Flora and Gunter in the crowd, but was unable to see Jakob or Felicia despite searching the battlefield desperately for their faces.

Suddenly, the strident scream of an unfamiliar voice shattered her daydreams like glass. She turned briskly to see three individuals lingering close behind her. One was a red-haired Pegasus rider, another was a timid looking healer and he third was an irritated archer with long pale hair.

"Corrin, on your left!" the young red-haired woman cried.

Corrin swiveled just in time to deflect a blown from a Nohrian soldier and unleash a fatal strike that sent her opponent toppling to the ground. The red-haired rider flew alongside her and the archer crept up behind her to expertly aim an arrow at another opponent in the distance. Corrin used the window of opportunity to slash the enemy.

"Corrin, you must be exhausted," the meek healer said with a timid stammer. The younger girl had managed to keep up with the rest of the group despite her apparent weaknesses compared to her older siblings. "Here, let me heal your wounds."

As the minor scratches and scrapes on Corrin's body were healed, the young woman felt her mind waiver and falter like never before. It was a stark contrast to her seemingly heightened strength and tact on the battlefield.

" _Everything is moving so fast…"_ she thought dizzily. _"Who are these people? What is…?"_

The princess lifted her head in the direction of a brilliant flash that practically blinded everyone on the battlefield. The pale-haired princess followed the light and was astonished to see that the flash didn't come from the sky above, but rather a blade wielded by a dangerously armored warrior.

Across from the warrior stood was her older brother Xander, who was mounted on his usual steed and brandishing his mighty Siegfried.

"Ha!" the Hoshidan royal shouted with a smirk as he readied the brightly flashing blade for another merciless strike. "Was that cowardly attack on my people your doing as well, princeling?"

"…I have nothing to say to you," Xander's voice boomed as he raised his blade again. "Surrender now."

" _Brother!"_ Corrin longed to scream, but her voice failed. _"No, what's happening? Why are we…?"_

All of a sudden, Corrin spied Camilla soaring close to a nearby riverbed. In another flash of light the princess was unable to pinpoint, all the water in the shallow basin suddenly evaporated to allow horses and Nohrian footmen to traverse the land much easier.

Behind her, Corrin heard the young red-haired woman sweat. "Damn! I thought only royals could use the power of the Dragon Veins."

"That's true," the archer interrupted briskly. "That means there must be some real big shots over there. Suits me just fine. I've always wanted to use a Nohrian royal for target practice!"

Corrin stood helpless as the battle continued. One of the comrades, named Hinoka, flew off to check the surrounding area for reinforcements. Meanwhile, Corrin did all she could by fighting alongside the archer name Takumi and allowing Sakura to heal her wounds when necessary.

Eventually, Hinoka was able to lead her to someone named Lord Ryoma. Although Corrin wasn't seasoned in battle, she knew that name well. It was the name of a Hoshido's crown prince.

As Corrin approached the warring duo, the two stopped their fighting momentarily and faced her. Despite their malice towards the other, their faces became soft and kind upon seeing her. Witnessing such a transition made Corrin's heart plummet.

Her other Nohrian siblings slowly gathered around, with Leo and Elise wearing especially noticeable expressions of relief upon seeing their older sister.

"Corrin!" Xander said with more exuberance than she'd ever heard before. "Thank the gods we found you, and that you're alive and well. Quickly, come join us! Your family is here to take you back where you belong."

Ryoma lifted his head high and spoke regally, "Quiet, Nohrian filth! Corrin is my sister and a princess of Hoshido!"

Xander glared and the dark-haired prince. "On the contrary, Corrin is my sister and is a princess of Nohr!"

Corrin stood between the two men, looking from one to the other helplessly as she stumbled back from them. Her hands splayed outward, as if reaching for invisible rails to help steady her. "I…I don't…"

All her other siblings gathered around slowly and began to yell to her. Elise gleefully cheered about having her sister back while Hinoka shot glares at Camilla. Leo and Takumi shared expression of suspicion and unease, respectively.

All the while, the symphony of pleas grew louder.

"Come home with us, Corrin!" Ryoma pleaded. "Hoshido is your home!"

"No, Corrin," Xander barked sharply. "Nohr is your home!"

"Big sister, please come home!"

"Quiet you scum," another voice said. "She is our sister!"

"Corrin, my precious. I hope you aren't hurt."

"You have the devil's own luck, Corrin," someone else said. "Now you can come home with us."

Corrin looked between the families frantically. She said in a shaky voice, "No….I can't…I don't even know what is happening."

The voices continued mercilessly and drowned out her desperate cries.

"Sister, come here! This way!"

" _Lady Corrin."_

"Big sister, don't tell me you intend to betray us?"

"You're ours, Corrin!"

" _Lady Corrin, please wake up."_

"She belongs to us!"

"Come back home, Corrin!"

" _Time to get up, Lady Corrin!"_

* * *

Corrin's eyes fluttered open to see the familiar face of Flora leaning over her. A few seconds later, the bed rattled as Felicia peered over the side of the bed playfully, causing her ponytail to swing sweetly mere inches from her face. She felt the ticklish sensation against the very tip of her nose and realized to her great relief that she was no longer dreaming.

"Hey, wake up Lady Corrin," Felicia said with her usual stutter. "Up and at 'em!"

The princess slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes. At the foot of her bed were Felicia and Flora, as usual. Also present in the room were Gunter and Jakob, who lingered at a more respectable distance as if to allow the princess some privacy while she was awakened.

Corrin rose and cast a quick look outside. "Morning? It's still dark outside…"

"Princess, although it's dark, it is indeed morning," Gunter said with a tiny smile. "Come now. You have practice today, correct?"

Jakob stepped closer to the bed and bowed politely to his liege, a habit his still maintained out of formality while others were present in the room. "I have taken the liberty or readying your armor, and, er, pounding out the dents," he said in an accented drawl. "Your brother is a fearsome opponent, is he not?"

 _My brother._

"Fine," Corrin said, stifling a yawn as she slowly rose to get out of bed. "I'm still not completely awake though…"

"Oh, we can fix that," Flora said cheerfully. "Felicia, would you assist me?"

"Sure thing!"

The two sisters leaned in and gently placed their hands on either side of Corrin's face. Before another yawn had time to well up inside her, an icy shock seared her skin and almost made her jump to the ceiling. The princess frantically cried, "Ah! Cold, cold, cold! Okay, I'm up, I promise."

Flora couldn't help but chuckle as the princess reluctantly rose from the warmth of her bedsheets and painfully planted her bare feet on the cold stone floor. "That's how we deal with slugabeds in the Ice Tribe, Lady Corrin."

The princess couldn't help but smile and laugh at Flor's unusually spunky statement. "Oh trust me, I know."

The prince yawned again, stretched her long arms over her head of untamable locks. All the while, she wore an odd expression on her face. The young princess appeared more distracted than usual and stared ahead with a seemingly forlorn expression, as if seeing something nobody else could.

Jakob immediately noticed her change in usual demeanor and took a quiet step closer to her. "What is wrong, Lady Corrin? You seem troubled."

"Oh, it's nothing," she said with a little sigh. "I just…had a dream."

"A dream?" Jakob inquired. Normally he would care less about the frivolous dreams and other extraneous thoughts from the people around him, but Corrin was a special case to him. Unlike the others, he cared about what was going on inside her head.

Corrin swallowed before dipping her head and muttering a timid sentence that sent shivers down the backs of a few attendees and elicited inquisitive looks from others.

"The people in my dream…" she said quietly, confusion muddling her words slightly. "They called me their sister, but all my friends and family…"

The princess paused doubtfully. She'd never felt such hesitation before as she choked out the words, "They're here in _Nohr_."

As she looked around the mixed expressions on her companions' faces, she knew the statement about her friends residing in Nohr was true at least. Nothing in her dreams had given her a reason to doubt that. There was nobody that she'd rather live out her life with than the inhabitants of the fortress.

"My lady?" Jakob asked again as she sat in silence. "Are you alright? You seem distant this morning. If you're unwell, I'm sure you could duel with your brother another time…."

 _My brother. That's right._

Corrin locked eyes with Jakob briefly as saw concern in his lavender gaze. She grinned sadly and shook her head, attempting to demolish any of his unspoken fear.

The princess rose and readied for battle. After all, Xander was a fearsome opponent and she was due for another duel today.

If she won, she could leave the fortress after so many years of being locked away without answers. Still, her hopes of success were dim.

The princess prepared herself for another loss, and knew if she was unsuccessful again, she could at least spend the remainder of her evening in the company of the butler she'd grown so comfortable with.

After all, she'd failed so many times before. What were the odds she'd win this time?

 **-END-**

It just dawned on me that Jakob is _never_ an enemy. The same is true of Felicia, which is why I omitted both of them from the opening dream. They literally aren't present.

Depending on the route you chose, you obviously fight different royal siblings and their retainers/armies. You even fight Gunter and Flora.

However, even in the dreamlike battle in the prologue where all your Nohrian allies are seen in the opposing army, Jakob and Felicia are not present. They are quite literally never your enemy. I think that's lovely. Team Book Club forever. The Northern Fortress group, in my opinion, will always be Corrin's true family.

Anyway, thank you all again for being so patient! You guys are amazing, and I promise I'll conquer work and bring an update ASAP.


	16. Home Away From Home

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Disclaimer: I've been away and I'm very sorry for the lack of updates. If I'm being honest, I recently made some big steps in my career, and have been busier and happier as a result. So that's good news! The bad news is that my hobbies have fallen to the backburner.

I'm sorry for keeping you guys, but I figured our last spot would be a decent pause point, since we're right at the start of the game anyway.

Now we can get back into some creative content!

 **-START-**

It had all happened so fast.

Corrin had sparred with her brother and, only moment after defeating him, she'd finally earned her right to leave the fortress. Moment later, she was summoned to her father's throne at Castle Krakenburg. She'd had a restless feeling in the pit of her stomach, but felt much better once she saw that Jakob was appointed to accompany her. Even though she was sad Flora and Felicia had to stay back, she understood that it would be unfair to demand an entire entourage to make the arduous trip to the castle with her.

Plus, he was her retainer. It was only natural he'd be allowed to tag along.

Although she was traveling with her siblings, all of whom she adored very much, she was still restless. Camilla and Elise traveled in their own carriage, and Leo and Xander also rode separately on their own mounts. Corrin was never officially taught to ride, so she sat in her own cart. She would have been completely alone had Jakob not been present, sitting mere inches across from her.

He noticed how withdrawn his mistress seemed almost immediately. Jakob gave her a concerned stare and leaned forward a bit to meet Corrin's gaze.

"My lady?" he asked, his voice deep with concern. "Are you alright?"

She jumped a little at the sound of his voice, but ultimately smiled back at him. Although his tone hadn't been loud, the carriage was quite small and they were quite close as a result. In fact, they hadn't been this close since he'd sat on her hand and bandaged her swollen hand.

"…I don't know," Corrin said, clutching a hand to her armored bodice. "I guess I'm, I mean…you know, I'm nervous. I'm happy but nervous."

She swallowed in a vain attempt to stop stuttering. Jakob kept a composed posture and looked at her softly, careful to not look intimidating.

"That makes sense," he replied. "This is all quite sudden. However, is freedom from the fortress not what you fought so hard for?"

"I don't know," she replied again, inwardly cursing her own redundancy.

The butler gave her a look of sincere confusion and he slapped her palm between her eyes, feeling like a moron.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "Please don't tell Xander. I'm really happy, I swear! I'm just a little terrified to finally be out, you know? Like…I'm seeing Nohr, my home, for the first time and I don't feel anything. All I can think about is seeing my father."

She paused for a moment and look up at Jakob with slightly tired eyes. She asked weakly, "It…shouldn't be that way, should it?"

Jakob was helpless to give her a reply. After all, he had no idea what to say or how really how she felt. He had an idea, but not enough that even lent him a shred of the credibility he needed to feel adequate comforting her.

Instead, he removed one of his dangerously spiked gauntlets so he could reach out and take her hand safely.

Corrin's eyes widened and lifted her ruby eyes to meet his amethyst ones. Instead of his usually composed expression, she found that he looked flustered.

"I'm sorry," he replied with a light chuckle. He gave her hand a firm squeeze and continued, "But…this is all I can do. To tell you the truth."

"Really?" she asked.

Perhaps it was his imagination, but he thought that perhaps he saw her eyes sparkle and sensed optimism if her voice. He decided to chalk it up to his imagination, but was still hopeful enough that he didn't immediately pull away.

"This is all I can offer you," Jakob said softly. "This, and the promise that no matter what happens or how nervous you get, that I'll be there. I know it isn't much, my lady. You deserve so much more, yet I can only offer promises."

The young woman smiled tenderly and placed her other hand over Jakob's. She felt her flesh against his, which was a cherished rarity for her. It felt so wonderfully normal to feel the warmth of his skin against her own. In a strange way, it helped ground her back into reality.

"That's more than enough," she replied, taking a second to tangle their fingers. "More than enough."

"My lady…"

The carriage came to a startling halt. Jakob pushed aside the curtain to reveal the outside wall of Castle Krakenburg. He then saw Elise skip merrily from her carriage and jog up to their door. The butler cleared her throat, sheathed his hand, and exited the vehicle to help his lady out.

"We're here, my lady."

Just like that, their roles as master and servant returned.

 **-END-**

This feels very short, but I didn't want to end this chapter with even more paraphrasing. The game's prologue is looooong.

I originally wanted t blow through all the game's material to try and get to more creative content sooner, but then it hit me; the beginning of the game is really when Corrin and Jakob spend the most canon time together, offscreen and otherwise. I don't want to just skip it all or rush through it. That's where the idea for this little chapter came from.

The next time we meet, we're venturing to the Bottomless Canyon. Hooray…?

Anyway, see you guys soon! Thank you all so much for reading and leaving such wonderful reviews. I really appreciate your honesty and sweetness.


	17. It Feels Right

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Author's Note: It's almost been a year since I returned to FF, all thanks to picking up FE Fates and rediscovering Fire Emblem (after replaying Sacred Stones to the point of boredom and rage quitting too many times during Radiant Dawn. I still haven't played Awakening.) FE Fates is hardly perfect, but it got me back into the franchise.

Anyway, thank you guys for sticking with me! I really appreciate all your support.

Now, let's get on with the prologue and toward the astral plane, where the chapters will start to become more creative and fluffy again.

Enjoy, and Happy New Year to you all!

 **-START-**

It was an abstract sensation to experience complete and utter betrayal.

Corrin had a terrible feeling in her stomach with facing down her father at Castle Krakenberg.

The conversation had begun cordially enough, despite the ominous tone.

"I see you made it here safely, Corrin," King Garon had said, a frown etched on his gray face. The cloaked man sat atop an elevated throne in a chamber almost entirely shrouded in blackness. The woman was used to the cold lifelessness of the Northern Fortress, and to say Castle Krakenberg was a spectacle as glamorous as she imagined would be dishonest.

"Yes Father," Corrin had replied, managing a smile despite the awful feeling in her gut. "Long have I wished to see you and Castle Krakenburg again. I feel…like I'm dreaming."

"It's thanks only to your own diligence that you are here," the king said dismissively, and Corrin felt a pang in her stomach.

The whole conversation had felt tense, and the foreboding pressure in the room was as thick and dark as steel wool. It was itchy and awful and all Corrin wanted to do was claw the unnatural feeling armor from her body and sprint from the room as fast as possible, back to the comparably bleak but familiar comforts of the Northern Fortress.

She listened as Garon talked of her Nohrian siblings being descendants from the ancient family of the First Dragons, thus allowing them to utilize dragon veins and harness their energy thanks to their loyal blood.

"Xander, Camilla and Leo have already learned to master their powers," Garon explained. "I expect nothing less of you."

"I am aware of your expectations, Father," Corrin replied automatically. While Corrin knew she was naïve to a fault, she was also impatient. As Jakob would say, she wished the older man would get to his _bloody_ point already. Something wasn't right. She continued softly, "I have…trained every day to become more like my siblings."

"Hm…you show promise, Corrin," he answered wickedly. "But you will need a suitable weapon of you are to fight for Nohr."

Then her father did something utterly unexpected; he presented her with a tangible gift. It was the first time he'd given her anything.

Once more, it was a sword. A sword for fighting enemies…possibly on the battlefield alongside her family.

"This is Ganglari," Garon explained as c haze od dark magic seemed to create a blade right out of thin air. "It's a sword infused with magic from another world. With this sword at your side, you can crush to Hoshidan army with ease."

His words were faint as she stared in wonderment at the black and red blade. The garish blade looked like it was crafted from gnarled, matted flesh than mortal metal.

The whole situation seemed to flip along with Corrin's stomach as she took the gift known as Ganglari into her hand and gripped the handle with determination beyond her hears. Her father's ominous words felon deaf ears as a grin split her face.

"Thank you for this generous gift, Father," Corrin replied.

Yes, finally. It felt right. _So right._

Xander watched from a distance with a deeply furrowed brow. He was eyeing the sword, and also seemed watchful of Corrin's overly keen interest in the blade."Hmmm…generous indeed."

She was ready for anything. Any trial her father could hurl at her, she felt her blood pound in her ears and scream with ultimate resolve that she could in fact do anything.

"Let's see you put that sword to good use," Garon said suddenly, snapping her out of her daze.

Then the hostages were brought out.

"Kill them," King Garon ordered with a smirk, thin lips receding over blood-red gums. It was a twisted expression, and one look at her father's visage grounded her back to reality and reminded her of the horror of the situation.

"What?"

The hostages were Hoshidan, no doubt. One was a muscular woman with fiery eyes and a palpable sense of truly admirable pride, obvious from the way she stared her down and puffed out her chest. She looked fearsome and strong, but was definitely a stranger to her. The other individual was an oddly familiar man dressed in darker clothes with hair the same shade of green as Nohr's balsam firs in winter.

" _He…seems so familiar. Who is that? He's Hoshidan…so I couldn't know him. But why are they here?"_

"Father, I can't kill them!" Corrin objected, throwing her arm out from her chest and gesturing to the two slouched figures in the darkness. "They're already injured! There's no reason to…"

It was too late, the two hostages, Rinkah and Kaze, were up off the ground and looking at Corrin with expression that ranged from enraged to anxious, respectively.

"You're…Lady Corrin…?" Kaze asked hesitantly, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Nohrian scum!" Rinkah growled, practically seething as she leapt to her feet and started across the room to Corrin. The princess saw the offensive rush and took a defensive stance, as if readying herself for combat. Corrin gripped the hilt.

"Strike them down, Corrin," Garon bellowed again. "I want to see you slay them with my own eyes."

Feeling as if she had no choice, the woman realized she would have to follow her father's orders. She promised herself to not kill them, only to render them unconscious.

All of a sudden, she heard two familiar voices approach her from behind, one to the left and the other to the right. She didn't even have to turn around to know who had stepped up.

"I shall join you, milady," Gunter said, readying his steed with one arm and brandishing his spear with another. "My lance arm might be rusty, but it's still serviceable."

"Gunter," Corrin managed, touched by his devotion. To her glee, nobody seemed to object to Corrin finding help in her retainers. She'd be completely outnumbered otherwise.

"Jakob!" Gunter barked loudly as he whipped his head toward the shadow lurking on her adjacent side. "Will you help as well?"

"Naturally, I couldn't allow someone of your advanced years to bear this burden alone," the butler said with his typical flair of sass. He then turned to Corrin and smiled genuinely, no trace of his earlier sarcasm remaining. "Lady Corrin, there is no need for you to soil your hands with such filth. Please relax and leave the fighting to us. Afterwards, I'll prepare you some tea."

Corrin gripped the sword and nodded to her two companions, thankful for their presence and thoughtfulness. "Thank you, Jakob. Just please be careful, okay?"

The butler gave her a long look before nodding silently in response to her request. She hoped he'd sensed the true concern behind her words, and if his demure actions were anything to go by, perhaps he even reciprocated a little.

The princess took one last moment to steel her nerves before the battle began. Rinkah and Kaze were aided by other Hoshidan soldiers that had also been taken hostage during the last skirmish.

As they made their way towards a large pile of debris, the woman remembered Garon words of her family's lineage and her bond with the First Dragons. As such, she felt a large pulse of energy in the ground near the pile of debris. Corrin rushed toward the warm energy, relying on instinct to tell her what to do. She hovered over the spot in the ground where the pulsing was strongest and, mere seconds later, a large zephyr of wind seemed to rocket through the room and whoosh the debris from the center of the chamber.

It was a Dragon Vein. Upon realizing her success, Corrin managed a confident smile and turned to Jakob with a proud expression.

"Extraordinary!" the butler exclaimed, looking at her with wide eyes as he held an arm to shield his eyes from any swirling wreckage. "No debris field can stand up to your mighty lineage!"

Corrin laughed at his flowery words, but the obvious sentiment didn't go unnoticed. In fact, her success at locating the Dragon Vein combined with his words gave her the confidence to pick up her blade and continue to charge forward.

"Heh…well done," Garon croaked from his throne. Corrin didn't seem to hear her father's ominous remark, but this didn't bother the king. The longer she was kept in the dark, the better.

"Excellent plan, milady," Gunter said, praising her with a kind gaze. "Now we can hide in there and ambush our foes."

That's exactly what the three of them did. Gunter guarded the left entrance while Corrin guarded the right. Jakob stood between them in the middle, assisting both in combat while also simultaneously healing his comrades when their injuries became grievous. His location also gave him a tactical advantage over other foes and allowed him to attack from afar with his knives. Gunter was able to annihilate many foes with one swing of his lance, and Corrin often leapt in to deliver the finishing blow.

It worked.

Kaze and Rinkah fell, defeated but not dead, just like Corrin had planned.

She allowed herself the pleasure of letting out a cheer before turning to face the defeated soldiers. One look at their weakened bodies and lowered heads zapped every ounce of enthusiasm from her being. She was suddenly overcome with grief and hesitation over what she'd just done. She felt as if she'd committed a grievous atrocity.

All she'd done was follow orders. Why did she feel so empty?

"Don't just stand there, idiot girl," Garon barked, sounded more unhinged than ever before. "Finish them off! Kill them!"

The butler snapped his head toward the king as the words 'idiot girl' boomed from his mouth. The young man had to restraint himself to not send a cautionary dagger in the direction of the king's bloated, disgusting head. Jakob already wasn't a fan of Nohrian royalty, but if anything would send him over the edge, it was derogatory comments about his liege. That was non-negotiable.

Corrin also looked a little speechless at the sound of her father's tactless insult.

"But, father…they're beaten," she reasoned, gesturing to the limp bodies before her. "Why should I execute helpless prisoners?"

"You dare to oppose me?" Garon asked with a malicious frown. His face looked broken and disjointed with anger. It looked like a face that had been used to beat firewood for decades. It was a terrifying sight on the body of a king. "Do it, Corrin!"

"I will not!" Corrin fired back guiltlessly.

An explosion rattled the room. Corrin lost her footing as Garon cast a spell meant to incinerate Rinkah and Kaze. He barely missed after the trio managed to jump out of the way, and Corrin looked at her father in horror. "Gods! Father, what are you doing? Stop!"

When the king lifted his arm and aimed again for Kaze, Corrin leapt before him and used Ganglari as a shield to protect them. She felt the flames scorch her fingertips and knees, but the dark blade managed to capture most of the spell. The act left her Nohrian sibling speechless with expressions that ranged from concerned to tense.

"Corrin!" Elise cried, holding her staff to her chest.

"Unbelievable…" Xander groaned.

"You dare to defy me, girl?" Garon asked, cackling maniacally as the princess refused to stand down.

Xander tried to reason with his father and pleaded with him to see reason. He spouted excuses about how Corrin was still young and inexperienced, and how her naivety led her make inappropriate decisions on the battlefield.

Corrin did her best to blot out the words. She knew what she was doing was right, even if Xander didn't agree.

After back-and-forth between Xander and Garon and whose responsibility it was to kill the soldiers, Leo finally took initiative and used his mighty tome to create the illusion that he had destroyed the prisoners. In reality, the weakened enemies were safely away from the chamber and could return to Hoshido.

As Corrin's siblings cheered on Leo from his cunning and quick thinking. Corrin staggered away from the throne and toward her retainers. Gunter was silent, but regarded her with a calm expression that was usually synonymous with praise. Corrin noiselessly nodded her thanks and turned to Jakob.

"Are you hurt?" she asked, looking at the tears in his uniform from the shurikens and the vulgar splashes of blood that flash bright red against the pure white fabric.

"I'll be fine," Jakob promised. "What about you? Are you okay. That was…quite a display."

His violet eyes flitted in the direction of Garon's throne, and Corrin knew immediately what her friend was referring to. She sighed deeply and hung her head.

"I know," she said, holding up her hands defensively. "I shouldn't have defied him, but…"

"You did nothing wrong," Jakob said, cutting her off bluntly. "Did you not hear the way he degraded you? What about the way he asked you to kill those Hoshidan soldiers?"

The princess gave him an odd look. "Jakob, I had no idea that he was ordering me to kill them! If I had known, I would have never agreed, let alone allowed you to be dragged into that battle…"

"I'm not blaming _you_!" Jakob said, voice rising a bit. "My lady, with all due respect, he called you and 'idiot.' He asked you to kill people, even after we'd weakened them to the point of surrender, which is more than enough. You know that. You must see that King Garon is…."

The butler ceased speaking, biting his lip and wearing a conflicted expression. It looked as if he was torn between his duty and his emotions. It was an expression Corrin knew quite well, but she'd never thought she'd see a day where Jakob was the one to wear it.

"Jakob?" she asked, only to receive temporary silence as a reply.

His reply was spoken through grinding teeth.

"I spoke out of turn…forgive me, my lady," he admitted, closing his eyes and turning his face toward the ground. "Forgive me of speaking ill of…your family."

The last words practically oozed with venom, but not toward Corrin. Never toward her.

Before the princess could convince him to speak his mind, Leo tapped her shoulder and silently motioned for her to follow. No doubt they were heading for where Leo's tome had teleported Rinkah and Kaze. The two had to make their way to the secluded area to assure their wellness as well as to see them off safely.

The pale-haired woman looked back at Jakob one last time, but the butler beckoned her to go with her brother without regret.

Sighing and resigning herself to the task at hand, she went onward with Leo by her side. Jakob watched her go until he was the last one in the throne room.

Then, only once he was alone and isolated, he strode towards the door and gripped the handle. Channeling all his anger into raw strength, he slammed the towering door shut with a resounding thud that shook the entire castle.

 **-END-**

This is my first upload of 2018. It feels a little lacking. I do miss writing the more creative chapters, so I apologize if these in-game chapters are dull. The next chapter will send us to the astral plane, and finally we can get back to more creative chapters.

Anyway, thank you guys so much for your support! I'm so thankful for all the views and reviews, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate the comments, feedback, and the amazing tolerance of all my typos (I'm so sorry, I never catch them all.)

Also, if you're a fan of Corrin/Jakob, be sure to follow my Tumblr account: romeo-and-antoinette. I post a couple drabbles there that never wind up on FF due to length, context or just other random reasons.

Thanks again! I'll see you guys soon! Next time, we'll team-up with Hans and take the plunge into the Bottomless Canyon...and the game's plot.


	18. Fatal Folly

Title: Your Hands Brought the Morrow

Pairing: Corrin/Jakob

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of the plot, characters or setting depicted in this fanfic from FE Fates. Please credit me for the fanfic and nothing else.

Author's Note: Oh dear. It's been quite a while. Too long. I'm so sorry. I've still be writing and uploading Jokamu content for people on Tumblr and Discord, and my content has fallen onto the backburner. Mainly because AO3 is thriving and the idea of exporting everything to another site makes me…queasy.

If you guys are craving more, please visit my Tumblr page: romeo-and-antoinette

Thank you to user "and-i-will-always-love-him" for helping inspire me to return to this fic.

Anyway, please enjoy this belated update!

 **-START-**

The Bottomless Canyon was a terrifying place. The ground was dry as dust and cracked beneath Corrin's bare feet as she stole closer to the otherworldly crevice. She was followed by Gunter, Jakob and Hans. The mismatched party crept along on foot while Gunter's horse maintained a steady stride. The soil beneath them was loose and airy enough to silence even the horse's metal-clad hooves.

Gunter seemed even more of-put by the strange location than she was. His steel eyes kept shifting about as if he was searching for something nobody else could see.

"The sky here is always dark and foreboding, and lighting strikes all those who fly across," he said darkly. "Milady, this is clearly a place mortals were never intended to enter. Normally we'd go around, but the Fort King Garon wants us to survey is here."

He pointed across the chasm to a dark and seemingly vacant building.

Despite the gnawing feeling in her gut, Corrin tried to maintain her optimism.

"It's not so bad!" she said with a light laugh. "Maybe I'm just happy for the fresh air. I mean, compared to being inside the fortress, this is really exciting!"

She didn't realize how forced her words sounded until they left her mouth. She heard Hans laugh gutturally at her naïve sentiments and felt some heat rise to her cheeks.

Gunter, on the other hand, managed a smile.

"That's certainly an interesting perspective," he complimented. It seems that her words had lifted sat least some of the lead-like gloom surrounding their party. "Let us proceed, then."

In addition to the almost supernatural stillness, the quiet was intensely disorienting. Had Corrin not been surrounded by comrades all advancing in one direction, it would have been all too plausible to become lost in the darkness. The woman could only imagine how the many soldiers had failed to return to the canyon had expired by wandering into the darkness only to plummet to their deaths.

" _Gods, what a cruel fate,"_ she thought as she caught sight of the cliff's jagged edge under the moonlight. Her eyes narrowed as the sensation of dread surrounded her as densely as the canyon's ashy fog.

Something didn't feel right.

"We have to be careful," Corrin warned her allies. "Stay close."

Gunter and Jakob agreed with silent nods while Hans seems distracted by a sight on the other side of one of the decrepit bridges. Corrin was about to call for his attention when she spotted the glitter of a blade in the distance. The startling shine came from near one of the surrounding structures.

Corrin followed the light with a flick of her head.

Lurking behind a half-fallen house were the distinct silhouettes of Hoshidan soldiers.

Corrin shifted her gaze across the bridge where Hans had previously been staring. Sure enough, there were more figures dressed in shades of red and white watching cautiously from across the way. One warrior brandishing a sword was approaching from one of the bridges. However, their stance was more defensive than offensive.

Jakob's gaze calmly shifted to meet Gunter's. "I thought this only supposed to be an investigation."

"Blast, that's what we were told!" Gunter said, voice rising a few octaves. "I anticipated perhaps a few soldiers or squatters, but this area is filled with Hoshidan troops!"

From across the chasm, a figure emerged from the darkness and spoke with a commanding tone. Unbeknownst to them, his name was Omozu.

"Not another step," he ordered. "Crossing this bridge is a violation of our border treaty, Nohrians. Turn back at once, or we'll be forced to attack!"

Jakob turned to meet Corrin's gaze steadily. Despite the discovery that they seemed to have been left astray, his tone was even and composed like usually. "What shall he do, Lady Corrin?"

She didn't waste a beat remembering her father's orders. "Well, we were ordered not to fight. This fort is clearly occupied, and we have no reason to violate the treaty. We should return and report to Father."

"A wise decision," Gunter remarked with a pleased expression.

As they went to turn around, the group was stilled by a grumbled remark from Hans.

"Who the hell asked you, old man?"

Corrin and Jakob both stopped immediately. They cast knowing looks at each other, seeing the evident dread and realization reflected clearly in each other's gaze. As if anticipating what was about to happen, Corrin reached for her blade.

"What?" Gunter inquired loudly.

A barbaric scream pierced the chilled air. By the time Corrin could register that the disgusting howl had come from Hans, he has already sprinted across the bridge. He raised a thickly corded arm and swiped his axe through one of the approaching soldiers' torso. The blade practically cleaved the man in half and shattered his armor in the process. As the footman flew back in a haze of blood and screams, the other units sounded offer and started toward the small group.

Jakob and Gunter immediately surrounded their liege. The shine of their weapons and the unwavering determination was clear. They were down one party member. It was time to compensate.

Meanwhile, Corrin's rage became unhinged. The sight was enough to disturb her barely composed nerves.

" _Hans!_ " Corrin screamed, her voice booming despite it shakiness. "We were ordered _not_ to engage!"

With that one act of brutality, everything spiraled out of the princess's control.

A battle began to ensue as they were ambushed on all sides. Thankfully, Gunter's expertise and Jakob's ranged attacks were enough to safeguard Corrin she scanned the battlefield for any openings or advantages, just like Xander had taught her.

Corrin tried to focus, but something odd kept impeding her concentration.

The longer she stood still, she realized the mysterious sensation from earlier hadn't faded. In fact, the subtle vibrations had only gotten stronger and more rhythmic. Each tremor felt as if it was coming from underground. The princess also noticed that nobody else around her seemed to notice the uncanny sensation as they continued to engage in combat without hindrance.

She looked toward another platform a few feet away, separated by an inky chasm and another unstable bridge, the sensation she felt in her chest began to intensify more.

Following an unnamed instinct, she bolted across one of the canyon's rickety bridges. Every step sent splinters of wood soaring around her ankles.

She barely managed to jump to safety and claw her way to solid ground as she felt the vibrating energy grow stronger. She followed the waves until she felt the central source of power throb beneath the surface. She realized with astute quickness what the sensation was.

It felt like a Dragon Vein.

The princess summoned all her energy and focused on activating the seal with frantic hurriedness. After a few moments of insistence, the magic activated.

The land began to glow with light and shift around Corrin. Trying her best to maintain focus despite the panic, she sank her fingers into the ground and shut her eyes to force calmness as the land around her precariously shifted. With a deafening crash, the unsteady ground cracked around her to create a bridge that spanned the widest part of the chasm to create a shortcut to the other side of the canyon.

The Hoshidan troops reeled in surprise at the otherworldly sight.

"Did you see that?" one yelled loudly.

"What the hell are we dealing with?" another screamed in obvious terror.

Gunter and Jakob used the chaotic response as an opportunity to chase after their liege.

As they drew closer, Corrin immediately noticed Jakob's body was already decorated with cuts. One of the sleeves of his uniform was sliced to ribbons and a splatter of crimson blood decorated the cuff.

"Oh Gods, Jakob, are you—?"

"Lady Corrin, what are your orders?" Gunter interrupted, eyes like flint as he spied soldiers advancing across one of the in-tact bridges. As she looked up at the knight, she could also see that his armor was broken and chipped from bone-crushing attacks.

There was no time to mourn their injuries. All that mattered was that her allies were alive and still standing. Now, she had to act as a commander and see her allies to safety. Then she could give them the medical attention they needed.

"Everyone, across the bridge, now!" she commanded firmly, pointing her blade toward their destination. They were to make a beeline for the Hoshidan commander. Someone had to oversee the troop. The only building they hadn't checked was behind the bridge she'd created with the Dragon Vein, lurking near the inky blackness of the nearby woods.

Once they non-fatally disposed of the leader, they could leave without further causality.

"What of Hans, milady?" Gunter asked, although his tone wasn't indicative of a question. The veteran knight already seemed to know her answer and posed the question strictly out of protocol.

Gunter's inquiry was punctuated by a garish howl that echoed across the chasm. The horrible sound was followed by a maniacal laugh that chilled the princess's spine. Corrin risked a glance back and saw Hans laying defeated on the ground. His body was white and lumpy as an abandoned sculpture cast. He was sprawled before Hoshidan troops in ugly defeat, but his ugly smile looked disgustingly victorious.

She saw him mouth at words, as if speaking to himself, but she didn't care enough to make an attempt to decipher them.

She bit her lip and looked away.

"Leave him!" her voice boomed.

That was the end of the discussion.

The trio crossed the bridge and urgently only to be surprised by another group of soldiers that moved in from the woods. Gunter reared his horse and readied his weapon, providing enough of a challenge to halt the soldiers in their place for a moment.

Corrin paired with Jakob to dash around the building and confront Omozu at the abandoned fort Gunter had initially pointed out when they arrived at the canyon.

As soon as the duo approached, Omozu remerged from the decrepit with two other archers flanking each side. Without thinking, Corrin lifted her blade at the sight of their weapons and assumes a guard position.

The semi-panicked act of hostility only served as kindling to the blaze of Omozu's fury.

"Do you even understand what you've done here today?" he screamed at Corrin. She noticeably bristled at the sound of his strident voice. "Hoshido will not stand for unprovoked attacks like this. Revenge will be ours!"

He spoke with conviction and dedication that Corrin had never heard before. The devotion in his voice was so absolute. She couldn't recall anyone in Nohr, even her own brother Xander, with such firm resolve.

The realization weighted her waist like a cinderblock against her side.

Doubt clouded her mind as Omozu slung a shuriken at her. The moment of self-doubt had offered the perfect window for an enemy to attack her.

Corrin barely had time to blink before a dagger, flying mere inches from her face, flashed before her eyes to deflect the deadly blow.

She looked over to see Jakob nearby. He wasn't watching her, but was instead focused on the enemies before the,

"Be careful," Jakob said to her. Following his advice, their opponents reached into their uniforms to brandish more weapons. As anticipated by the butler, they weren't done. The troops were readying for a follow-up attack.

The archers lifted their bows and began to dock their arrows with obvious confidence. Corrin nodded, Jakob's words steeling her confidence as one of the archers struck her with an attack.

This time, she properly guarded against the arrow by raising her blade. The stem slip on the edge of Ganglari and she was able to run forward and attack. She tried to aim nonfatally and focused her attacks on their arms and legs. Meanwhile, Jakob occasionally jumped in to defend her when he could as he evaded most of the archers' deadly blows.

When he was hit, she heard him let out a pained yell. The sound made her skin crawl.

She'd never heard Jakob make such a distressed sound before.

Her blood ran cold when she realized he was still injured from earlier. Any more injuries to him would likely be fatal.

Feeling newfound adrenaline course through her, she sprinted forward and used cut across Ozumo's body. The blade severed his sparse armor and left a gash across his chest that sent him flying back in a spray of red.

The warm fluid misted her face, and she hurriedly wiped the evidence with her dark cape.

She watched his body like a hawk as he laid defeated on the ground. The pair waited for any further movement from the leader. When Omozu failed to leap back onto his feet. Jakob opted to proceed and examine his body. He bent down to examine the man's face and take a pulse.

Wordlessly, he nodded to his liege and gestured to the abandoned fort. It seemed Omozu no longer posed a threat to them.

Corrin advanced to seize the fort. Just to be certain that their mission was successful, she looked around the building for any lingering soldiers or stowaways.

She merged from the structure to find that Gunter standing alongside Jakob. He had rejoined the duo following his defeat of the other soldiers that ha attempted to ambush them earlier. The princess noticed the new dents and scratches in his armor with immense discomfort. However, she found solitude in the sole fact that the disastrous mission seemed to finally be over.

"This wasn't what I had in mind, but at least we completed Father's mission," she said. Corrin was still trembling from the attack hard enough that even her brave expression did little to conceal her true apprehension.

"Indeed so," Gunter replied.

Jakob looked at his liege's expression. The forlorn look on her face was cause for concern for him. He pursed his lips in worry.

"Are you alright, my lady?" he inquired softly. Then, his expression lit up in sudden realization. "Oh, damnation! You probably need to be healed. Hold on."

As he rustled amidst his equipment for a proper healing staff, Gunter audibly scoffed at his lack of decorum.

While Jakob and Gunter bickered, the princess found herself lost in thoughts as she scanned the battlefield before them. the landscape was still sprinkled with the unconscious bodies of innocent Hoshidan soldiers. She had just led a mission that engaged an entire Hoshidan army unnecessarily and, as a result, ended in a series of unjust injuries. She knew some soldiers, especially the ones Hans had attacked, were almost certainly dead.

The princess felt peculiar. Even though her team had made it away from the battle alive, they had still injured and fatally wounded Hoshidan soldiers along the way.

Just as she was ready to turn around and face her wounded allies, she heard distinct rustling from the south. By the time she turned her eyes to the dark forest, three figures had already emerged silently from the brush. Their uniforms didn't look familiar, but appeared to be Hoshidan if the crimson aesthetic was anything to go by. Their armor and uniforms looked similar to the troops they'd just conquered.

The figure in the middle was a man with bright, crimson hair and a concealed face.

The sight made Corrin flinch, which earned a harsh chuckle from the strange man.

"You're the leader of this army?" he asked, his voice drawling in amusement. "Pah. You're just a little girl."

"Who are you?" she asked, gripping the handle of her blade. Her eyes strained to make out the figures in the dark, but she could tell from the man's voice that he couldn't be more than a few feet away from her.

"My name is Saizo," he said. The timbre of his voice hard-edged. Every word from his mouth was brief and spoken with conviction that left no room for conversation. "And I've come to claim your life."

The sound of brandished blades caused Corrin to immediately spring into action. She turned to her team and hollered that they were still under attack and needed to evade as soon as possible. As she glimpsed back at Gunter and Jakob, she could see how exhausted they both appeared. Not that she could blame them. She still felt the veins in her legs burning with pain from their earlier endeavors. Even the act of turning around to alert her team members sent jabs of pain up her limbs. The sensation was nearly paralyzing.

There was no way they could endure another battle.

Then, out of the darkness, another strident voice cut through the dark night.

"I won't allow it!" it ordered. The commanding sound sent a boom through the area. At least, it sent such a sensation throughout her own chest. This time, she recognized the tone almost instantly. It belonged to someone she knew all too well.

Xander's dark steed can rushing through the trees just as Saizo aimed a shuriken squarely for Corrin's heart. Guarding the attack with a simple feat for someone as skilled as Xander, but Corrin would have succumbed to the blow in her state of enhanced weakness. She could only drop to her knees in surprise upon seeing her brother's grand steed nearly trample her in an attempt to block the attack.

Saizo cursed, clearly surprised by the entrance of the crown prince.

Xander shot Corrin a hard look over his shoulder. He looked down his nose at her crumpled and injured body.

"What is going on here, Corrin?" he asked, his tone dripping with obvious displeasure.

"Xander?" she asked, her face still awash in disbelief. She averted his question by asking a reasonable one of her own. "How did you know we were in trouble?"

Xander's entrance was swiftly followed by the sound of horse hooves and flapping wings. Corrin didn't need to speculate on who the mysterious individuals could be for long.

Sure enough, her other three siblings were on Xander's heels as they rushed onto the battlefield with ease.

If they'd collided with enemies along the way, their appearances certainly didn't show it. They all looked pristine and perfectly healthy. The princess was beyond grateful for that.

"Your luck never seems to run out, does it?" Leo asked Corrin with a cocky grin.

Although she knew the gesture was supposed to be teasing, the words did nothing but stir bitterness in Corrin. While she was truly thankful for her siblings' arrival and their safety, she couldn't shake the bloody encounters she'd just been through with Jakob and Gunter at her side. She could still feel the distinct, metallic stickiness on her hands and thighs were her armor failed to conceal her.

"Are you alright, darling?" her big sister Camilla asked. "You poor thing. You must have been terrified."

"Don't worry!" Elise cheered from atop her tiny pony. She galloped over to their group and held her jeweled staff skyward. The wand pulsed with energy that sent a healing wave over Corrin's skin. When she looked down, she saw her wounds slowly mending in the moonlight and the blood evaporating from her skin like steam.

As soon as the healing glow faded, Elise gave Corrin a wink and said in her signature singsong, "We're here for you, big sister!"

A few paces away, Jakob and Gunter also recovered from their injuries thanks to the girl's quick thinking. The princess swiveled to see both men straighten their back with newfound strength. Their injuries were mended, and the shimmering magic highlighted the color slowly returning to their ashen faces.

"Jakob, Gunter!" she called, feeling the hopelessness slowly face from her heart. "Are you both okay?"

The veteran knight reared up his horse and nodded confidently. "I am, milady. Good as new!"

"Many thanks," Jakob replied curtly to Elise. Then, he turned his head to Corrin and offered her a dashing smile.

In response to her earlier question, he mouthed out an answer to her that only she was privy too.

" _I'm okay,"_ he said silently, annunciating each syllable with his lips. _"Thank you."_

It was a surprisingly intimate gesture from him. Perhaps the dire straits of battle had changed his mindset temporarily to favor sentimentality over his usual calculated logic. Just seeing his face made her chest swell with awakened resolve.

While Corrin was grateful for the reunion with her family. There wasn't a lot of time to celebrate. They were all still under attack from obviously strong Hoshidan troops. Before Corrin could say another word, her sister Camilla snapped the reigns of her wyvern and peeled towards the ninjas.

In the blink of an eye, they were off their feet and had succumbed to the mighty axe bland Camilla brandished. She heard their weapons snap and their bodies collide with the powdery ground.

"W-Wow…" Corrin said, watching her sister cleave enemies from behind a dust could her dragon mount had created in its powerful wake. "She's so strong."

No doubt her siblings would be perfectly fine. She'd never seen them on the battlefield before, but if their skills in magic, fighting, and healing were matched with the same tenacity that she saw Camilla fighting with, the princess somehow knew there wasn't anything to truly worry about. The outcome would most certainly swing in her side's favor with the newly stacked odds.

Oddly enough, Corrin wasn't certain how she felt about that.

It wasn't long before Saizo was calling for a retreat.

During Camilla's attack, another warrior had emerged onto the battlefield to speak with Saizo. She had long, dark hair and spoke with the red-haired assassin with a certain air of familiarity.

"We're outnumbered, Kagero," Saizo said grimly. "Are there any more allies on the way?"

"Indeed," the woman replied with a quick nod. "Lord Ryoma is right behind me!"

By the time her big sister had defeated the other units, Saizo had retreated from the battlefield with his illusive ally in tow.

Although the severity of the situation was lost on Corrin, she knew Lord Ryoma's name. She didn't know the prince personally, but his title spoke for itself. No doubt Hoshido's oldest prince would be quite a rival to face-off against. It was possible that she might even rival Xander in strength.

If such was true, that was a battle Corrin was absolutely certain she would lose.

"What should we do?" Leo asked Xander as he snapped his tome shut and tucked the book under his arm for safe-keeping.

"The fort has been evaluated and Corrin is safe," the prince said seriously. "We have no reason to engage any longer. Corrin! Follow Gunter back to the entrance. You two will lead the way. The rest of us will follow behind."

It seemed even Xander recognized that it was necessary to escape.

"Right," Corrin said, nodding in relief. She sheathed her blade and pointed toward the bridge she'd created earlier. "Everyone, let's go!"

Finally, they could all go home safely.

The princess didn't need to beckon Gunter to follow her as the two dashed off toward the entrance. Before completely escaping, she took one last look over her shoulder to make sure Jakob was on her heels.

As always, he was following behind her dutifully.

When they locked eyes, each one nodded to the other and they continued their getaway as fast as possible. She somehow resisted the urge to reach back and take his hand, just to make sure they didn't get separated.

For once in her life, the idea of the Northern Fortress's tall walls and dark rooms yielded a sense of immense comfort.

Once they were all back safely, she vowed to pull Jakob aside and finally confide in him. The last battle had been too close of a call for her liking. She knew she no longer had the privilege of being indecisive about her feelings.

Once they were back home safe, she would finally tell him how she really felt.

* * *

Corrin followed Gunter back to the canyon entrance. She was thankful for his guidance, fearing otherwise she would have gotten turned around on the dark winding trails that lead back to where they entered the ravine.

"Where' Jakob?" she asked. She had to practically yell the question over the howling wind. "He was here just a second ago!"

"He must be behind us," Gunter said, noting her worry and offering her a small smile. "Rest assured, Lady Corrin. He'll be fine. Jakob is more than competent to navigate his way home. I'm sure he'll be catching up shortly."

As they stood atop the rickety bridge, the wind was making it sway to and fro. With each movement, the ropes and boards seemed to groan from the strain. Gunter's expression immediately changed to one of intense fear.

"We must hurry along," he told her, his brow deepening with intense concern. "I can't stand being atop this bridge any longer!"

Corrin nodded in agreement. She could certainly understand the sentiment.

She didn't like the idea of leaving Jakob behind, but if he was really in danger, she liked to think she would have heard something from behind them. They had cleared the battlefield of enemies, and her siblings were still working their way through the chasm as well. Perhaps he's simply fallen back into their group instead.

At least, she prayed that's what had occurred.

They took no more than a few steps forward before a bright strike of lightning nearly blinded the duo.

However, the light caused something previously unnoticed to stand out to the princess. On the other side of the bridge was the bulky silhouette for a towering warrior. Then, as the figure advanced, she began to make out a familiar sneer. The bone-chilling cackle was the last clue Corrin needed to pin the hulking man's identity.

"Hans!" she scorned, gnashing her teeth at the sight of his bloodied body drawing closer to them. He was blocking their only exit from the unstable bridge.

"So sorry, old man," Hans snickered, glaring at Gunter from beneath his meaty brow. "Don't worry. You won't have to stand there much longer."

Another strike of lightning made everything go white around them. Corrin screwed her eyes shut against the blinding sensation for a mere moment. Then, the sound of splintering wood and a horse's terrified cry seized her attention.

She looked over just in time to see his axe collide with Gunter's chest plate. The force sent him flying back near an opening in the bridge's path. The horse's hooves tried to navigate the warping path, but it was too late.

The bridge gave way and Gunter disappeared downward between the planks without so much as a sound. The tragedy ended in almost an instant. The seeming indifference of the world around her to such a fast death only enhanced the gruesomeness. It happened so fast that Corrin didn't immediately realize what she'd just witnessed. The shock had rendered her temporarily thoughtless.

Then, everything set in.

" _Hans, no!"_ she screamed, rushing to the side. She practically threw her head between the gaps in the planks to watch Gunter plummet into the abyss below.

She'd just watched her mentor Gunter, someone she trusted more than many other people, plummet into the Bottomless Canyon with his steed.

The only person she trusted more, Jakob, was missing.

She was completely alone on the battlefield.

"You would you do this?" she cried again, struggling to raise her voice past the sobs that threatened to rise on her throat. "He was…your own ally…he was my…"

Slowly, she shifted her gaze to meet his. When another strike of lightning highlighting his firewood-broken mass of a face, fear immediately ignited into anger.

"Did I knock your poor babysitter into the ditch?" Hans asked mocking. As he sauntered past the opening when Gunter had fallen, he spat into the crevice. "Don't worry, princess. You two can meet up again at the bottom!"

Then, he lifted the blade of his axe and began to charge her way.

With a guttural roar more akin to a dragon than a human, she raised her blade in response to her words and prepared to cleave him into a bloody pulp.

Another sensation stirred with her. The power wasn't akin to what she'd felt earlier when activating a Dragon Vein. The new sensation she felt blended with her fury, making her seethe with animalistic brutality.

"You'll pay for this!" she growled maliciously. Pure, unbridled hatred oozed from every word.

Suddenly, she raised arm into the air, and without reason, it started to painfully shift into a sharpened appendage. Her skin and bones broke and reformed into a mighty claw that rivaled even the strongest swords and lances made by man. The texture and color of her new body also seemed to blend perfectly with her scaled armor.

While Corrin was unblinking in her reaction, the new strength startled Hans to the point of blundering pause. She skidded to a stop just as raindrops began to descend from the inky.

"What...what kind of monster are you?" he yelled at her, his eyes bulging at the sight of the princesses' transforming body.

Two pressure points of pain began to throb on either side of her forehead. Corrinraised one hand to try to smother to sensation in vain. Moments later, two horns pushed through her skin and exploded from her head with wet thumps. Her arm transformed from an inhuman, scaled blade into a beastly claw.

Her garbled screams turned to roars as she pounced into the air with inhuman strength. Without hesitation, she slammed her body down onto his and used Ganglari to slice into him. The speed at which she moved was unfathomable to the seasoned warrior. He knew instantly that didn't possess the skill or raw strength to stand a chance against her. In mere seconds, she'd turned the tables in her favor.

When she brandished her other clawed arm to assail him with a searing ball of magic, a realization finally eclipsed his stunned expression.

"It can't be…" he groaned, dropping his weapon in shock.

The princess ceased her ambush momentarily. As soon as he was at her mercy, she grasped the opportunity to interrogate him.

"I want answers, Hans!" Corrin commanded. This time, her voice was so loud that she didn't need to try to yell above the stormy wind. "Why did you provoke the Hoshidans? And…any why did you kill Gunter? Answer me!"

Her display of power worked on him. Without any more provoking, Hans finally gave in and relented to her questioning.

"I was just following orders!" he replied helplessly. "King Garon's orders!"

The world went silent.

Corrin's poise faltered at the sound of his answer. No, she couldn't have heard him correctly.

"Stop it!" she screamed, lifted her blade again. In the dark night, her eyes seemed to glow a shade of ethereal red. She screeched at an inhuman octave, "You lie!"

The barbarian wasted no time. As soon as he'd stunned Corrin with his answer, he grabbed his weapon and backtracked across the rain-slicked bridge. As soon as he was across, she saw his body gracelessly flail into the nearby trees in a desperate attempt to escape her.

Her eyes had no trouble spotting his clunky movements through the storm.

"Get back here, you coward!" she hollered, lunging after him with every ounce of strength in her body.

Before she could move, a surge of new energy brought her to a halt.

This time, the unnamed power came from Ganglari. She suddenly felt her chilled body come to a halt. The princess felt control of her own body cease yet again, but unlike her last transformation, the sensation wasn't empowering.

To her horror, she tried desperately to open her hand to drop the sword as a means to break the spell. No matter how hard she tried, her fingers would unlock from their grip.

She could only spectate as her own arm snapped skyward and as invisible force began to lift her off the ground slowly. Then, without warning, it snapped her body to the edge of the screamed in horror as the was reluctantly dragged off the edge into the darkness.

The cold wind blasted her face as she fell.

All sense of direction and even the sight of her own extended arm became consumed by blackness so thick it made her eyes throb.

Her heart shuddered, and her mind raced to comprehend what had just happened. Again, she looked around for any openings or any lifelines she could seize. Each squinted gaze was met with unending blackness.

She knew the scenery was what Gunter must have seen when he'd fallen before her.

It seemed, even after all they'd been through, Hans had been right all along. It seemed she really would meet him again at the bottom.

" _I'm sorry, Gunter. I failed you."_

She looked up at the surface in time to see the last rays of moonlight she'd ever seen extinguished.

The silver color reminded her of a face she knew she'd never see again. It was a face of another person she'd failed, and of the man she loved.

" _I'm sorry…Jakob."_

As the inevitable dread of the situation finally entered her mind, her mind finally gave out and she slipped into merciful unconsciousness.

 **-END-**

Every time I have writer's block, wine seems to help. Not just any wine, though. It must be peach wine or rose. Maybe it's because of the fruity taste or the romantic aesthetic, but it always helps me write stories more creatively and with more…passion? That might make it sound weird.

(Obviously, please consume your beverages legally and responsibly.)

See you guys soon!


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